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Soup: The One-Pot Wonder
Piercingly frigid winds, frostbitten fingers, icy walkways and snow-covered cars waiting to be shoveled out; when the toughest elements of the winter season begin to take their toll, there are few escapes as comforting and wholly warming as a hot bowl of soup. A steaming, hearty broth nourishes, while delivering a cozy feeling that can loosen up the tensions of even a day’s worth of shivering. From a common cold, to a case of the winter blues, soup is the perfect potion.
Homemade soup is simple to prepare and an often healthy and economical choice as well. Unlike canned soups, you are in full control of factors such as the amount of sodium in your creation, and just how many veggies, grains and other healthy ingredients that you’d like to load up on. Plus, one batch will likely yield your family several meals throughout the week. What more could you ask for? From goulash to gazpacho, all soups fall into several general categories. Once you have a basic understanding of each, you’ll be well on your way to becoming a soup making master.
Laying the Foundation
All soups classically begin with a sauté of diced aromatic vegetables known as “mirepoix”; a 2:1:1 ratio of onions, carrots and celery, the mirepoix provides a base of flavor to the pot before anything else is added. However the most important flavor foundation, from which all good soups are built, is a quality stock or broth. Though there are plenty of store-bought alternatives (which are great in a pinch), the best way to achieve an awesomely flavored, truly homey soup is to make your own. The task is not as daunting as it may seem. Make stock or broth by the gallon, cool, portion, and freeze in zip-top bags for several uses.
Broth soups: These are thin, “rustic” type soups such as French onion and Minestrone that have a heartily flavored stock or broth; the cooking liquid is the star. Broth soups are enriched with the flavors of aromatic vegetables and sometimes include chopped or shredded meat, poultry or fish. Beans, grains, and pastas are other common additions.
Cream soups: A cream soup is a thickened soup, typically finished with heavy cream. The most common cream soups highlight a single vegetable such as cream of broccoli or cream of mushroom, but poultry or fish can also be used. A basic flour roux of equal parts flour and fat is the most common thickening agent used in cream soups; you’ll need about 3 ounces each or a 6- ounce roux for ½ gallon of soup. Because flour is involved, stirring frequently is important to avoid scorching. Once simmered, cream soups are sometimes pureed and strained before the cream is added at the end.
Puree soups: Usually featuring either dried beans or legumes like peas, beans and lentils, or starchy vegetables like potatoes and squash, puree soups are usually thicker than cream soups. Once the ingredients are cooked with seasonings, aromatic vegetables and stock, they are then pureed with a blender and sometimes strained. When using vegetables for a puree soup, chop them into uniform chunks for even cooking. Sometimes puree soups are also finished with cream.
Bisques & Chowders: Since both contain cream and are commonly known for being made with fish, these soups are frequently confused. The most decipherable difference between the two is the texture. Bisques are rich, shellfish-based soups that are pureed smooth. Chowders are left chunky and usually contain potato.
Great Soups for the Winter
A miserable blizzard suddenly becomes a snowy white wonderland when you’re sitting above the steam clouds of a homemade bowl of soup. Now that you know the basics, making soups with or without a recipe just got a little easier. Build layers, stir, taste, and have fun; you’ll have a full and hearty one-pot meal in no time.
