Did you know? "The word soup originates from "sop", a dish originally consisting of a soup or thick stew which was soaked up with pieces of bread."
Originally in France, 'the soupe' was the slice of bread on which was poured the contents of the cooking pot (potage).
SOUPS can be classified into two broad groups ;
1. Clear Soups (Consommé)
2. Thick soups
3. National Soups
CLEAR SOUPS are all based on a clear, unthickened broth or stock. They may be served plain or garnished with a variety of vegetables and meats.
1. Broth and bouillon are two terms used in many ways. In general, they both refer to a simple clear stock foundation. Often broths are a thin soup, but they can also be made quite thick by using rice, barley and vegetables. Thick broths are often served and used a substantial part of a meal.
2. Vegetable soup is a clear, seasoned stock or broth with the addition of one or more vegetables and, sometimes, meat or poultry products and starches.
3. Consommé is a type of clear soup made from richly flavoured stock or bouillon that has been clarified usually through a fining process involving egg protein. The soup is a carefully cleared stock, or soup foundation, and flavoured or garnished with a material from which the soup usually takes its name. There are not many soups of this kind, bouillon and consommé being the two leading varieties, but in order to be palatable, they require considerable care in making.
Far from being just a plain old cup of broth, a well-made consommé is one of the greatest of all soups. Its sparkling clarity is a delight to the eye, and its rich, full flavour, strength, and body make it a perfect starter for an elegant dinner.
THICK SOUPS are classified depending upon the type of thickening agent used ;
1. Purees are soups that are naturally thickened by puréeing one or more of their ingredients. They are not as smooth and creamy as cream soups. Dried legumes (such as split pea soup) or from fresh vegetables with a starchy ingredient such as potatoes or rice added. Purées may or may not contain milk or cream.
2. Bisques are thickened soups made from shellfish. They are usually prepared like cream soups and are almost always finished with cream. The term bisque is sometimes used on menus for a variety of vegetable soups. In these cases, it is really a marketing term rather than a technical term, so it is impossible to give a definition that covers all uses.
3. Cream Soups are soups that are thickened with roux, beurre manié, liaison, or other added thickening agents, plus milk and/or cream. They are similar to velouté and béchamel sauces-in fact, they may be made by diluting and flavouring either of these two leading sauces. Cream soups are usually named after their major ingredient, such as cream of chicken or cream of asparagus.
4. Veloutés are thickened with eggs, butter and cream.
5. Potage is a term sometimes associated with certain thick, hearty soups, but it is actually a general term for soup. A clear soup is called a potage clair in French.
6. Chowders are hearty soups made from fish, shellfish, and/or vegetables. Although they are made in many ways, they usually contain milk and potatoes.
Other ingredients commonly used to thicken soups and broths include rice, flour and grain.
Soups are sometimes named from the principal ingredient or an imitation of it, as the names potato soup, beef soup, macaroni soup, mock-turtle soups testify.
NATIONAL SOUPS
BATWANIA (Russian)
Puree of spinach, sorrel (herb), beetroot and white wine, with small ice cubes served separately. Served very cold.
BORTSCH (Polish)
Duck flavoured consommé garnished with duck, diced beef and turned vegetables: the accompaniments are sour cream, beetroot juice and bouchées filled with duck pate.
BOUILLABAISSE (French)
This is really a form of fish stew. Accompanied by thin slices of French bread, dipped in oil and grilled (sippets).
CHERRY (German)
Bouillon consisting of cherry puree, cherry juice and red wine. Served with stoned cherries and sponge finger biscuits.
COCK-A-LEEKIE (Scottish)
Veal and chicken consommé garnished with shredded leeks and chicken. Served with prunes.
KROUPNICH (Russian)
Barley and sections of poultry offal garnished with small vol-au-vents stuffed with poultry meat.
MILLE FANTI (Italian)
Consommé with a covering of bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and beaten eggs.
MINESTRONE (Italian)
Vegetable paysanne soup with pasta, traditionally accompanied with parmesan cheese and grilled flutes.
PETITE MARMITE (French)
Beef and chicken flavoured soup garnished with turned root vegetables and dice of beef and chicken. Accompanied with grilled flutes, poached bone marrow and parmesan cheese.
POTAGE GERMINY (French)
Consommé thickened before serving, with egg yolks and cream. Cheese straws are offered.
SHCHY (Russian)
Bortsch or consommé, garnished with sauerkraut (sour cabbage). Accompanied by beetroot juice and cream.
TURTLE, CLEAR (English)
Beef, poultry and turtle consommé with strong aromatic herb flavouring, garnished with diced turtle meat. Warmed madeira or sherry was put into the soup just before serving. Best accompanied by cheese straws, lemon segments, brown bread and butter.
GREEN TURTLE SOUP (English)
Consommé with a sachet of turtle herbs and turtle meat. Garnish of turtle meat and this is flambeed.
MANHATTAN CLAM CHOWDER (American)
Chopped Clams in fish stock, potatoes, pork, leeks, celery, carrots, and tomatoes.
MULLIGATAWNY SOUP (Sri Lanka)
Curried lentil soup garnished with rice and chicken dices. Served with a wedge of lemon.
OLLA PODRIDA (Spain)
Petit Marmite with ham, chicken, chick peas, a chiffonade of lettuce and saffron to colour.
Originally in France, 'the soupe' was the slice of bread on which was poured the contents of the cooking pot (potage).
SOUPS can be classified into two broad groups ;
1. Clear Soups (Consommé)
2. Thick soups
3. National Soups
CLEAR SOUPS are all based on a clear, unthickened broth or stock. They may be served plain or garnished with a variety of vegetables and meats.
1. Broth and bouillon are two terms used in many ways. In general, they both refer to a simple clear stock foundation. Often broths are a thin soup, but they can also be made quite thick by using rice, barley and vegetables. Thick broths are often served and used a substantial part of a meal.
2. Vegetable soup is a clear, seasoned stock or broth with the addition of one or more vegetables and, sometimes, meat or poultry products and starches.
3. Consommé is a type of clear soup made from richly flavoured stock or bouillon that has been clarified usually through a fining process involving egg protein. The soup is a carefully cleared stock, or soup foundation, and flavoured or garnished with a material from which the soup usually takes its name. There are not many soups of this kind, bouillon and consommé being the two leading varieties, but in order to be palatable, they require considerable care in making.
Far from being just a plain old cup of broth, a well-made consommé is one of the greatest of all soups. Its sparkling clarity is a delight to the eye, and its rich, full flavour, strength, and body make it a perfect starter for an elegant dinner.
THICK SOUPS are classified depending upon the type of thickening agent used ;
1. Purees are soups that are naturally thickened by puréeing one or more of their ingredients. They are not as smooth and creamy as cream soups. Dried legumes (such as split pea soup) or from fresh vegetables with a starchy ingredient such as potatoes or rice added. Purées may or may not contain milk or cream.
2. Bisques are thickened soups made from shellfish. They are usually prepared like cream soups and are almost always finished with cream. The term bisque is sometimes used on menus for a variety of vegetable soups. In these cases, it is really a marketing term rather than a technical term, so it is impossible to give a definition that covers all uses.
3. Cream Soups are soups that are thickened with roux, beurre manié, liaison, or other added thickening agents, plus milk and/or cream. They are similar to velouté and béchamel sauces-in fact, they may be made by diluting and flavouring either of these two leading sauces. Cream soups are usually named after their major ingredient, such as cream of chicken or cream of asparagus.
4. Veloutés are thickened with eggs, butter and cream.
5. Potage is a term sometimes associated with certain thick, hearty soups, but it is actually a general term for soup. A clear soup is called a potage clair in French.
6. Chowders are hearty soups made from fish, shellfish, and/or vegetables. Although they are made in many ways, they usually contain milk and potatoes.
Other ingredients commonly used to thicken soups and broths include rice, flour and grain.
Soups are sometimes named from the principal ingredient or an imitation of it, as the names potato soup, beef soup, macaroni soup, mock-turtle soups testify.
NATIONAL SOUPS
BATWANIA (Russian)
Puree of spinach, sorrel (herb), beetroot and white wine, with small ice cubes served separately. Served very cold.
BORTSCH (Polish)
Duck flavoured consommé garnished with duck, diced beef and turned vegetables: the accompaniments are sour cream, beetroot juice and bouchées filled with duck pate.
BOUILLABAISSE (French)
This is really a form of fish stew. Accompanied by thin slices of French bread, dipped in oil and grilled (sippets).
CHERRY (German)
Bouillon consisting of cherry puree, cherry juice and red wine. Served with stoned cherries and sponge finger biscuits.
COCK-A-LEEKIE (Scottish)
Veal and chicken consommé garnished with shredded leeks and chicken. Served with prunes.
KROUPNICH (Russian)
Barley and sections of poultry offal garnished with small vol-au-vents stuffed with poultry meat.
MILLE FANTI (Italian)
Consommé with a covering of bread crumbs, parmesan cheese and beaten eggs.
MINESTRONE (Italian)
Vegetable paysanne soup with pasta, traditionally accompanied with parmesan cheese and grilled flutes.
PETITE MARMITE (French)
Beef and chicken flavoured soup garnished with turned root vegetables and dice of beef and chicken. Accompanied with grilled flutes, poached bone marrow and parmesan cheese.
POTAGE GERMINY (French)
Consommé thickened before serving, with egg yolks and cream. Cheese straws are offered.
SHCHY (Russian)
Bortsch or consommé, garnished with sauerkraut (sour cabbage). Accompanied by beetroot juice and cream.
TURTLE, CLEAR (English)
Beef, poultry and turtle consommé with strong aromatic herb flavouring, garnished with diced turtle meat. Warmed madeira or sherry was put into the soup just before serving. Best accompanied by cheese straws, lemon segments, brown bread and butter.
GREEN TURTLE SOUP (English)
Consommé with a sachet of turtle herbs and turtle meat. Garnish of turtle meat and this is flambeed.
MANHATTAN CLAM CHOWDER (American)
Chopped Clams in fish stock, potatoes, pork, leeks, celery, carrots, and tomatoes.
MULLIGATAWNY SOUP (Sri Lanka)
Curried lentil soup garnished with rice and chicken dices. Served with a wedge of lemon.
OLLA PODRIDA (Spain)
Petit Marmite with ham, chicken, chick peas, a chiffonade of lettuce and saffron to colour.