Soups: Les Potages
Soups: Les Potages
Soups: Les Potages
Soups are a common feature offered on many types of menu in a wide variety of catering
establishments. Such units range from fast food operations to the more traditionally based luxury
catering systems.
What is Soup ?
A liquid food served in the beginning of a meal or for lunch ,a snack etc made up of
fish,poultry,games,shellfish,meat,vegetables by the addition of of stock of any variety and with or
without any thickening agent.
Poultry
The domesticted birds which are rared in a farmhouse especially for meat or eggs mainly
chicken, ducks and geese.
Games
The birds which are generally hunted for their meat mainly Squale ,Partridge ,Quail etc.
Composition of soups.
From the above explanation it is evident that for making any kind of soup the following group of
ingredients are obvious.
The function of soup on the menu is to stimulate the customer’s appetite rather than act as a
complete meal. For this reason many soups are of alight and delicate nature. Hot soups are a
welcome feature on winter menus; conversely cold soups are ideal in the summertime.As the soup
preparation needs very less amount of butter or fat and also not very spicy,it can be easily an ideal
food for invalids.
PASSED PUREE
UNPASSED
BROTH
Clear Soups
1. Consommés are refined clear soups prepared from good quality stocks, which are flavoured
and clarified, by a combination of ingredients.
Clarification Process
During cooking the protein content, derived mainly from the egg white and minced beef,
coagulates, flocculates and rises to the surface of the consommé as rafts. This action results in a
clarified liquid being produced. Once cooking is complete the clear liquid lies beneath the mass of
coagulated protein and other ingredients.
(a) In order to allow the egg white to disperse thoroughly, mix all the ingredients and allow to
stand for a period prior to cooking.
(b) Use fat-free stock in order to prevent excess fat causing a greasy product.
(c) Mix only just warm stock to the ingredients.
(d) Slowly bring it to the boiling point and stir continuously so that the egg white disperse
thoroughly.
(e) Once the consommé has been brought to the boil it is important to ensure that is simmers
gently, without stirring for the remainder of the cooking period as rapid boiling or stirring
will result in a clouded consommé. For the same reason do not cover the soup with a lid as
this would disturb and inhibit the formation of congealed protein.
(f) A tall, deep, thick bottomed cooking vessel is ideally suited for consommé production, this
type of vessel is designed to prevent excessive evaporation during cooking and helps to
maintain an even temperature throughout.
(g) When most of the grease has been skimmed away from the completed consommé, any
remaining grease is removed by passing pieces of absorbent paper across the surface of the
consommé.
(h) On completion, strain the consommé with a wet muslin cloth carefully.
(i) The desired colour of consommé is amber.
The basic consommé which is prepared by using double the quantity of lean meat and a richer
mirepoix is termed as Double Consommé.
The fat is carefully skimmed off from a double consommé and seasoned with Maderia , port wine
and cayenne pepper.It is then portioned and allowed to cool in the refrigerator.May be served with or
without any garnish accompanied with cheese straws (paillettes de fromage ).A cold consommé
always strong and spicy and should gel slightly.
Ingredient Metric
Cold stock (white or 11
brown)
Beef shin (minced) 200 g
Mirepoix (scorched) 200 g
Egg white 50 g
Bouquet garni
Salt and pepper
N>B> The type of stock used is determined by the flavour required in the consommé. In addition
browned game, poultry carcasses, etc, may be added to appropriate consommé to enhance the
flavour.
Method
Thoroughly mix all ingredients in cooking vessel and allow to stand approximately 30 minutes prior
to cooking.
Commence cooking by bringing slowly to simmering point, stirring occasionally. Once
boiling point is reached allow to simmer gently without any further stirring or undue agitation.
On completion strain carefully through wet muslin, degrease and correct seasoning. Reheat
and garnish for service.
Broth is comprised of savory stock liquor, flavoured and garnished with a combination of
vegetables, vegetables and meat, or vegetables and seafood.In most cases broth contains a cereal
ingredient, usually rice or barley. Herbs, seasonings and occasionally spices enhance the flavour.
Often broth has the appearance of a thickened soup, a result of the starch content extracted from the
cereal ingredient during cooking. However, because the soup remains unpassed, full thickening is
not affected.
Broths are sub-divided into three types according to the method of preparations.
a) When the vegetables are added directly to stock base which contains a meat
ingredient, e.g. stewing mutton as for mutton broth;
b) When the vegetables are sweated in fact without colour in the initial stages of
preparation just prior to the addition of stock;
c) Fish flavoured broths e.g. chowders
Thick Soups.
1. Purees.
Puree soups produced from starchy vegetables need no other thickening, agent as starch based
vegetables act as self-thickeners.Alternatively, puree soups produced from aqueous vegetables need
the assistance of a starchy food to effect cohesion. The ingredients most commonly used for this
purpose are rice or potatoes.
All the puree soups are passed through the food processer for liquidizing and finally strained through
a conical strainer (chinois).Its then reheated for correcting the seasonings and consistency.Puree
soup are always garnished with crutons.
2. Creams Cremes
With only a few exceptions, the principal thickening element used in the production of cream soup is
that of sauce béchamel. The recipe balance determines the predominant flavour of the soup.
The classes of vegetables best suited to cream soup production are the aqueous type. Starchy
vegetables, in general act as self-thickeners and need no other thickening element.
It is worth mentioning at this stage that there are many soups appearing on the menu as
creams, which are basically voloute or puree soups to which cream has been added prior to service.
The work `cream’ in these instances refers to the addition of cream rather than the underlying
principle of cream soup production.
5. Chowder
Its a thick variety soup generally made with sea food.The name is the corruption of the French word
‘CHAUDIERE’ means a heavy pot used by farmers and fishermen to cook soups and stews.The best
known French Chowder is ‘Bouillabaisse’.It is more like a stew which is an American speciality
made with meat , fish ,vegetables along with milk ,pork belly ,tomato concasse and seasonings.Prior
to the service crushed cracker biscuits or a thickner.Alternatively Chowder may be thickned with
Beurre Manie.
Special soups are those that made with unusual ingredients and are prepared by a distinctive method.
Also their names should appear on the menu in the language of the country of its origins. So they are
termed as National Soups. The examples are as follows.
Chicken Broth…………………………………………...English.
Minestrone……………………………………………….Italy.
Mock Turtle Soup………………………………………..U S A.
Mullugatawny…………………………………………….India.
Scotch Broth………………………………………………Scotland.
Olla Porida……………………………………………….Spain.
Oxtail Soup……………………………………………….English.
Vichyssoise (cold)………………………………………..U S A
Zuppa Pa vese…………………………………………….Italy.