Home › The Principles of Cookery › Soup (There is no part of cookery)

Soup (There is no part of cookery)

There is no part of cookery which is so imperfectly understood by ordinary cooks as the preparation of soup. Amongst the wealthy it is considered a necessity, and, as a matter of course, forms part of the dinner. Amongst the middle classes it is more usually served than it used to be, and is, year by year increasingly appreciated; but amongst the lower classes it is all but scorned; and mistresses of small house-holds will testify that the maid-of-all-work, who when at home is half starved instead of being properly fed, will consider herself most hardly used if part of the provision of the day's dinner consists of wholesome soup. This opinion is, of course, a sign of ignorance. Soup is both nourishing and wholesome, and it may also be prepared economically. With attention and a little trouble, it may be made from very inexpensive materials, and, considering that when soup has been served smaller inroads are made into the joint, the frugal housekeeper who has once calculated the difference in cost of a dinner consisting of economically-made soup, meat, and vegetables, and one of meat and vegetables only, will never object to the introduction of soup at her table on account of the expense. Soup may be made of a large variety of different articles, including meat of all kinds, bones, game, poultry, fish, shell-fish, all kinds of vegetables, herbs, and farinaceous articles, milk, eggs, etc., etc. The basis of all soup is stock. Instructions for making this will be found in their proper place, and will, therefore, not be considered here. The reader will also find most valuable hints for making stock and soups in the article on the PRINCIPLES OF COOKERY. Directions for making various soups will be found under their respective headings, nevertheless it may be found useful if a few rules of universal application are here given as an assistance in their manufacture. There are three kinds of soups--clear soup, thick soup, and purees. A puree is made by rubbing the ingredients of which it is composed through a tamis or sieve. A thick soup is stock thickened by the addition of various thickening ingredients. These soups are best suited to the winter season. Clear soup is thin and bright, and adapted for use in the summer months. in making soup it is most important that every culinary article used should be perfectly clean. The inside of the covers of saucepans, the rims, and the handles, particularly require attention. The lid of the saucepan should never be removed over a smoky fire. The meat used should be freshly-killed, and should be as lean as it can be procured; it should never be washed. The bones should be broken up into small pieces. Cold water should be put upon fresh meat and bones; boiling water (a small quantity at a time) upon meat or vegetables that have been fried or browned. As it is very important that no fatty particles should be left to float on the surface of the soup, this should be made, if possible, the day before it is wanted, so that the fat can be removed after it has got cold. If the soup has been thickened with white or brown roux it should be simmered by the side of the fire until it has thrown up the fat which the liquor still contains. Soup should be simmered very softly till it is done enough. A large fire and quick boiling are the great enemies of good soup. In flavouring soup the cook should be careful to add the seasoning ingredients in moderation and gradually, especially such things as garlic, onions, shallots, spices, herbs, salt, and cayenne. An overdose of salt has spoilt many a dish of soup, while a deficiency thereof has again and again nullified the effect of the most delicate combination of flavours. As a general rule, two ounces of salt will suffice for a gallon of soup stewed with large quantities of vegetables; an ounce and a half only will be needed if the vegetables are omitted, or if a small quantity only is used. It should be remembered that salt and all seasonings can be added when they cannot be taken out. For flavouring purposes, Aromatic Seasoning of Herbs and Spices, and Herb-powder for Flavouring Soups, will be found of great use. Whatever ingredients are added to soup, whether farinaceous articles, such as rice, vermicelli, macaroni, etc., or vegetables, all should be partially boiled in plain water before they are put into the liquor. This will ensure their being perfectly clean and bright. The flavour of rich brown soups will be brought out better if a small piece of sugar be added to them. This must not be used for white soups. Cream or milk when put with soups should be boiled separately, strained, and added boiling. If, instead of cream, milk and the yolk of an egg are used, the egg must on no account be boiled in the liquor. Either it must be mixed thoroughly with a little of the soup which has cooled for a minute, then be stirred into the rest; or, better still, it must be put into the soup-tureen, a spoonful of the soup mixed with the milk stirred into it, and the rest added gradually. If soups are to be kept for a day or two, they should be boiled up every day, or every other day, according to the state of the weather, put into freshly-scalded dry earthenware pans, and kept in a cool place. A piece of gauze may be thrown over the pan to keep out dust and flies. Soup should never be kept in metal vessels, and it should be stirred and well skimmed with a wooden spoon.