Savoring Soup
Fill the stomach, satisfy the palate and feed the soul
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It’s soup season. The aroma of soup simmering on the stove evokes fond memories. From A for alphabet to Z for zesty chili, almost everyone has a fond favorite. This comfort food ranges from a simple broth to more evolved creamed soups to spicy combinations from every corner of the world. Good soup ladled into a cup or bowl is a simple pleasure that unfolds into rich, distinct layers of flavor.
Two artisan chefs share their secrets so you can develop your own philosophy for crafting delicious soup to share with family and friends.
“Time and good, fresh ingredients make great soup,” says Deidra Henry, co-chef and co-owner of Taste Café & Marketplace with husband Marc Urwand. “Make it the day before you need it. That way the soup has the opportunity to let each of the ingredients meld together.
“I love my red curry soup with corn and other fresh vegetables I have on hand,” Henry says. “Use a good curry paste, such as Mae Ploy brand.”
Use fresh ingredients to make great soups
Taste Café usually offers three soups each day, such as puree of potato, vegetable beef and a green curry vegetable soup boasting carrots, mushrooms, onions, green beans, white beans, black beans, celery and seasonings.
“I garnish every soup that comes out of our kitchen,” Henry says. “Adding a little something, such as Greek yogurt, a pinch of fresh herbs like cilantro, crisp croutons seasoned with cayenne or fresh crostini, and a sprinkle of parmesan cheese, can make a soup pop.”
Steven Oakley, chef and proprietor of Oakley’s Bistro, creates a lot of puree soups. Right now, his restaurant’s seasonal soup is Butternut Squash Maple. The squash is roasted until nicely caramelized, blended with vegetable stock and secret seasonings, and then simmered down to perfection.
“I have always been trained in that sense of mind for pureed soups,” he says. “Even growing up in a Polish background, my mom always pureed her potato mushroom soup.
“We have a big soup etiquette. It should taste like what you call it –– that’s what we’re about. We strive to be true to the form of what we serve.”
Mixing it up
Oakley uses potatoes –– not flour –– to thicken soups. Boil large chunks of potatoes, then puree just before stirring into simmering soup to achieve the desired consistency while keeping flavors fresh.
His bistro serves a soup daily, as well as a brothier soup such as onion. All soups are made in-house, including the broths that are foundational for other entrées.
Henry says you don’t necessarily need to start with a chicken broth to make great soup, although she uses that foundation often. If you start with a water base, increase cooking time to up to three hours for flavors to fully develop.
“Don’t use frozen vegetables,” she says. “Also, don’t skimp on the salt and pepper, especially with a broth-based soup. For great soups, I use any of the plethora of vegetables and other fresh ingredients available to me and simmer with chicken stock.”
Broth Brouhaha
Vegetable broth is a foundation for super soups
A vegetable-based soup can please both vegetarians and traditional diners. Here are Steven Oakley’s tips for top-notch vegetable broth –– a great way to use vegetable scraps left over from other dishes.
Use the same pot every time to keep accurate proportions of liquids, vegetables and seasonings. Cooking is all about ratios.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees to roast large chunks of myriad vegetables: tomatoes, carrots, onion, celery, celery root, parsnips, mushroom stems and rutabaga. Toss them with a little olive oil, salt and pepper. Place them in a single-layer shallow pan lined with foil. Roast about an hour until caramelized.
Don’t use pepper, eggplant, zucchini or yellow squash, as they can become bitter when roasting.
In a saucepan, cover the roasted vegetables with cold water. Add aromatics, such as fennel and black peppercorn. Simmer for about one hour until it becomes clear and flavorful. This allows the large chunks of vegetables to lend flavor while not breaking down too much.
Strain off the vegetables and use this broth as is.
Bread Bowls
Add a tasty finishing touch
Take a round loaf of artisan bread and turn it into a bread bowl –– great for serving creamy, thick soups and stews.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. With a serrated knife, cut 1⁄2 inch off the top of a round loaf of bread, like sourdough or Italian. Remove bread on the inside, making it hollow. Leave walls about 11⁄2 inches thick.
Using your basting brush, brush olive oil on the inside of the bread bowl to create a seal, so your soup doesn’t leak out.
Bake bread for 15 minutes, until golden on the inside. Fill with soup and serve!
Recipe: Ratatouille Bisque
This recipe from Chef Steven Oakley is full of pureed vegetables that make a flavor-packed soup entrée.
Makes 4 servings
3 ounces olive oil
2 eggplants, peeled and diced
2 cups coarsely chopped leeks (white part only)
1 zucchini, coarsely chopped
1 yellow squash, coarsely chopped
1 red pepper, coarsely chopped
1 cup rice, raw
8 basil leaves
3 tomatoes, whole
2 teaspoons toasted fennel pepper
1 tablespoon tomato paste
1 tablespoon salt
1 cup cream
6 cups vegetable stock
1⁄2 cup white wine
In large saucepan, heat olive oil and sauté eggplants, leeks, zucchini, squash and red pepper until tender. Add remaining ingredients and simmer until the rice is cooked. In a food processor or blender, puree vegetable mixture in batches. Check seasoning. Serve with croutons.
Recipe: Creamy Tomato Soup
Try this tomato soup recipe from Deidra Henry of Taste Café and Marketplace for a fresh spin on the classic comfort food.
Makes 4 servings
10 cups diced tomatoes and juice
1 cup water or vegetable stock
2 cloves garlic, chopped
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon ground white pepper
1 cup heavy cream
Simmer tomatoes, water, garlic, salt and pepper for 1 hour or until tomatoes are almost dry.
Place warm mixture in a blender, add cream and blend until smooth.
Garnish suggestions: a dollop of crème fraîche, basil pesto, fresh herbs, croutons or grated Parmesan.
