A Food Affair
Fran Taber
Winter 2010 -- Soup, Beautiful Soup! Soup-making 101
By Fran Taber
Jan. 05, 2011
No time? get out the crockpot. Though not so homey, it doubles as a pot simmering on the stove.
When I grew up back in the forties (yes, really), the miracle of readily available frozen foods had just begun to join canned food as the staple ‘convenience for the busy housewife’. Soup, I knew, came from a can (just add water) or a packet (just add water). No longer would the cook have to purchase raw materials to get dinner on the table. ‘Quick and easy’ were the by-words (sound familiar?) The post-war housewife was being freed from drudgery.
So imagine my surprise when, as a young housewife myself, I discovered that I could actually make my own wonderful soups and that doing so was more economical, tastier and much healthier when I made them with fresh ingredients. (I was even more amazed that I could make bread and cheese right at home in my own kitchen—but that’s another story.)
Winter is soup time. A soup pot steaming on the stove, some fresh bread to go with it—what could be more warming? And it’s so easy to make your own. Homemade soups can be not only tastier, but they can also be a practical way to use leftovers and small amounts of meat and vegetables that are not enough for a meal. So making your own soups saves money as well. And if you make a soup-pot full, you can freeze it (or even pressure can it) and have the later convenience of the store-bought can. (Cream soups do not freeze well—freeze them before adding dairy and add it when preparing it for the table)
For those who have not yet begun to make soups on a regular basis, here’s a primer.
All soups require just two things: liquid and ‘stuff’. The liquid can be water (not recommended), chicken, beef or vegetable broth, tomato stock and/or milk or cream (add any dairy to the pureed soup after cooking). The ‘stuff’ can be most vegetables, cut into bite-sized pieces or smaller and simmered in the liquid until they are tender. Dice or use whole: peas, beans, onions, carrots, corn celery, potato, etc. Avoid strong tasting vegetables like cabbage and broccoli unless they are the stars of the soup. This sort of vegetable is added in the last 20 minutes before serving. Pasta and grains like rice and barley make hearty additions
The ‘stuff’ can be most meats—chicken, ham and beef being most common; lamb necks and oxtail make very special soups. The trick is long slow cooking in the broth—up to four hours before adding vegetables. You’ll soon learn which combinations work best; for example one would most likely use beef broth or tomato base with beef, chicken broth or tomato base with chicken. I mostly use a good vegetable broth for everything.
Much of the trick in soup making is in the seasoning. Add your choice of salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, etc. Most soups want garlic, celery and onion; a bit of hot peppers add spiciness, especially to a tomato broth. Curry powder or garam masala add a mid-eastern flavor, especially when served with a dollop of sour cream (or Greek Yogurt). The sour cream balances a bean-based soup as well. Basil pairs with tomato as do thyme, rosemary, Italian flat-leafed parsley and/or cilantro.
For a bean-based soup, soak beans for at least 4 hours or overnight for faster cooking. This is unnecessary for split peas or lentils. Add to the broth after the meat (if using—here ham or bacon would often be the meat of choice) and allow them to simmer for an hour or until the beans are soft. Add other vegetable as desired as for vegetable soup. Mashing some of the beans gives extra body to the soup.
Thick, hearty soups are often purees. Cook squash, pumpkins, potatoes or beets in water or broth to cover; cook tomatoes with very little water. When tender, add finely chopped onion and seasonings and when all are tender, cool a bit and puree in a blender or food processor until smooth. This would be the time to add cream, yogurt, or milk to the soup. (If you then add clams, fish or corn to pureed potato soup, then reheat to cook them gently, you have chowder.)
The nicest thing about soup making is that there are no real rules. Use leftovers, bits of this and that. I especially like a tomato-based soup: bring two to four cups of tomatoes and two to four cups of broth to a boil. Then add your choices of a diced potato, half a diced onion, bite sized green beans, corn, cooked dry beans (pinto, kidney, navy, etc), rice (no more than ¼ cup uncooked), pasta, diced carrots, diced celery, greens, a pea-sized piece of cayenne pepper (or more for a spicier soup). Cabbage can be shredded and added late in the cooking, but on the whole, avoid strong tasting veggies. Mushrooms, canned, fresh or dried add depth.
If you’re using meat, simmer ½ pound of beef or chicken in bite-size or smaller dice gently for an hour or so (or use that slow cooker you’ve been neglecting and cook on high 1 hour, low 2-4 hours adding the vegetables for the last hour).
One common pitfall is having too much ‘stuff’ for the liquid. There are two solutions: add more liquid (adjusting the seasoning) or start out by using less of each veggie. It comes with experience!
Served with a crusty roll and maybe a bit of salad, most soups make a meal and make each vegetable a pleasure as you find it in the bowl. I challenge you to discover the different tastes you can create by mixing and matching ingredients and varying seasonings. Enjoy! And feel free to share easy, successful, delicious soup recipes here.
Recipe: Turkey Noodle Soup
6 cups vegetable or chicken broth
½ cup pasta
1 carrot, peeled and diced
1 celery stalk, minced
1 cup leftover turkey cut in bite-sized pieces or smaller
Salt and pepper to taste
Minced parsley
Bring the broth to the boil. Stirring in vegetables, lower heat to a simmer, and cook until almost tender. Add pasta and cook to al dente (or precook it and add at end) Add cooked turkey for the last three minutes of cooking.
Variations: add more of any of the ingredients; use leftover gravy to thicken and flavor; add curry powder or Italian herbs; add mashed potato flakes to thicken. Use chicken instead of turkey.
