Prepare & Cook Basic Soups

Soups, unlike Sauces are a dish in their own right. Soups may be served as a meal on their own, or as a first course on a menu.

A soup can set the tone for a meal. It is important as they can influence the whole meal.

Quality points of Soup.

• Be of a good recognised flavor and taste.

• Have Seasoning, which compliments the main flavors.

• Be free from grease and scum.• Have a good defined color.• Be of a definite consistency, I.E. not

lumpy or thick.• Stimulate the digestive juices.

Type of Soups.

• Clear

• Broth

• Puree

• Cream

• Miscellaneous

Clear Soups.

• Consommé.

• Fortified quality stock.

• Flavoured with Meat, Poultry, Fish or Vegetables.

• Strained through muslim and a named garnish is added to finish dish.

Broth Soups.

• Made from Unthickened stock.

• With the addition of finely cut

Vegetables and either Meat or Fish.

• They often contain Cereal such as

Pearl Barley or Rice.

• Sweated Broth’s contain Fish or

Shellfish called Chowders.

Puree Soups.

• Thickened by its own ingredients, such as Vegetables, Cereals.

• Where starchy ingredients are used these act as a self thickeners

• Croutons are usually served as a garnish.

• Once cooked the soup is sieved or liquidised.

Cream Soups.• A Puree soup made with the

addition of a Béchamel sauce and Stock.

• The Béchamel sauce is the thickening agent.

Other types of Cream soups.• Puree soups finished with the

addition of cream.

Miscellaneous Soups.• Also known as unclassified soups,

examples are:• Muligatawney Soup (curry flavoured).

• Kidney Soup, Turtle Soup, Oxtail Soup.

• French Onion (Beef Stock based).

• Fish Bisque (Shellfish I.E. Lobster).

• Cold Soups served chilled.

Finishing and Presenting Soups.

• During the service period soups can evaporate and the consistency must be adjusted to ensure quality is maintained.

• A 250 ML ladle or large ladle is used to serve soup.

• Hot Soups should be served at 90 c (194 f).

• Cold Soups should be served at 3 c (37f).

Garnishing Soups.

• The main garnish may be added to the soup or kept separate and added to the bowl before the liquid is added.

• It is important to keep the garnish at the correct temperature.