Gastronomy: soup recipes and practical advice | New Aquitaine

When the sun and the thermometer go down, we equip ourselves with an immersion blender and go to the kitchen to prepare soups! Warm and comforting, soup is THE culinary solution to put everyone in a good mood.

Depending on tastes and desires, but also depending on what we have on hand (and in the fridge!) we let ourselves be carried away by our creativity. Fresh herbs, spices, creams or even croutons… and above all: fresh fruit and vegetables and potatoes!

In addition to the comfort it offers during the first frosts, a good soup allows you to enjoy all the benefits of seasonal vegetables every day and with ease.

Did you know ? There’s soup and soup!

Soup, soup, soup… What are the differences? The gastronomic Larousse enlightens us: the soup designated the slice of bread on which a broth was poured. Today it consists of a soup thickened with bread, pasta, rice… and garnished with meat, fish or a vegetable. Soup. This umbrella term includes any hot liquid dish served in soup plates or bowls at the start of a meal. Two main groups are distinguished: clear soups (broths and consommé) and tied soups (creams, soups, tied broths, soups, etc.).

The bond can be made with starch, cream, egg, a vegetable… Broth. It is the “liquid for cooking meat or boiled vegetables used to cook (instead of water) some dishes and to make sauces and soups”. The consommé is a “meat or fish broth served hot or cold, usually at the beginning of a meal”. By cream we mean a soup (based on vegetables, poultry, shellfish or cereals) based on white broth (formerly milk or white roux) or béchamel, with a final touch of creme fraiche. The velouté is a soft and greasy soup, combined with eggs, fresh cream or butter and garnished (julienned chicken breasts, prawn tails, asparagus tips…).

Source: Larousse Gastronomique. Editions Larousse – Paris

5 tips to enhance a soup

Fresh aromatic herbs

Parsley, chives, coriander, chervil, dill… They enhance the taste and add a decorative touch. Add them when serving to preserve all their benefits as much as possible. Count 5 to 10 grams of herbs per person.

Expertly dosed spices

Nutmeg, turmeric, cinnamon… It’s the little extra that will give your soup a unique flavour. Try a touch of curry in a leek and potato soup, or even a dash of cumin in a carrot soup.

Finely chopped fresh greens

Small cubes of zucchini, carrots, radishes, peppers, turnips or onions, whole peas, chopped spinach or sorrel or slices of Parisian mushrooms sprinkled on at the last minute? But yeah! Besides adding beautiful colors, this brings an added texture in the mouth (crunchy or melty).

Gourmet ingredients to personalize it

Grated cheese, crème fraîche, knob of butter, drizzle of olive oil, homemade croutons… Bet on the crunchiness and flavor of walnuts, hazelnuts, ground almonds, pine nuts and toasted pumpkin seeds.

Turn it into a full dish

Water, vegetables… soup already has so many qualities to compose a simple and tasty lunch or dinner. By optionally adding a poached egg, bacon bits, diced tofu, legumes (lentils, beans…), mussels or clams, a little fresh cheese, you will easily obtain a complete meal.

The right cooking

In water, the classic cooking is done over medium heat and covered, in 25-30 minutes, with the vegetables cut into pieces and poured over with water. In the steamer, count from 15 to 30 minutes of cooking according to the density of the vegetables, then mix them with a broth in a saucepan.

Put the chopped vegetables in the saucepan (or in the pressure cooker), cover with the broth and cook for 30 minutes as soon as the valve turns.

In the tureen (or heating blender) put the cut vegetables, the water and the aromatic herbs and let the vegetables cook and blend. Count about 15-20 minutes.

Organize well

Grocery shop

Leeks, carrots, potatoes, zucchini, celeriac, turnips, cauliflower, broccoli, parsnips, onions… Buy them in reasonable quantities (even if that means two supplies a week); it is better to cook them very fresh and not waste them. However, a soup can also save some tired vegetables. Anti-waste tip: don’t forget to cook the tops of carrots, parsnips, radishes, celery leaves…

Note: Chopped, portioned and frozen fresh vegetables in freezer bags are particularly suitable for preparing soups.

The right material

Inexpensive, the hand blender is the simplest utensil to use to prepare your soups. It is used directly in the pan in which the vegetables are cooked. Conservation A soup should ideally be consumed within 24 hours of its preparation. However, it can be stored for up to 2 or 3 days in the refrigerator in an airtight container. Do not hesitate to freeze it, first portioned into cubes (empty Swiss roll tins, ice cube trays or even silicone muffin molds are fine). These unmolded portions can then be stored in a freezer bag.

Recipe

VELOUTE WITH PARISI MUSHROOMS, TUILE WITH PARMIGINA

POTATO VELOUTÉ AND PARSLEY

USEFUL INFORMATION
DIFFICULTY: EASY PREPARATION TIME: 5 MIN COOKING: 10 MIN NUMBER OF PEOPLE: 4
INGREDIENTS
2 bunches of flat leaf parsley 200 g of mashed potatoes 50 cl of vegetable broth 1 tablespoon of fresh cream Salt and pepper from the mill

1. In a saucepan, heat the vegetable broth until it boils.
2. Peel and wash the potatoes. Cut them into cubes, then immerse them in the broth and cook them for 5-8 minutes over high heat.
3. Wash the parsley and cut the stems from the stalks. Remove from the heat, add the parsley to the hot broth.
4. Leave to infuse for a few minutes. Remove the potatoes and parsley with a slotted spoon and place them in the bowl of a mixer.
5. Add a little broth and mix until you get the desired consistency.
6. Season to taste and add a dollop of fresh cream.
7. To add an extra touch of freshness, put the mint leaves in infusion in the hot broth.

CREAMY GINGERBREAD APPLE SOUP

USEFUL INFORMATION
DIFFICULTY: EASY PREPARATION TIME: FROM 10 TO 20 MIN COOKING: FROM 10 TO 20 MIN NUMBER OF PEOPLE: 4
INGREDIENTS
4 apples 1 lemon 25 g of butter 1 tablespoon of sugar 10 cl of cream 2 slices of gingerbread

1. Peel the apples. Hollow out the core into an apple core.
2. Coarsely cut the apples into quarters and sprinkle them with lemon.
3. In a saucepan put the butter. Add the sugar and caramelize.
4. Add apples and pour water until fruit.
5. Leave to cook for ten minutes.
6. Add the cream and mix. Serve hot and garnish with a few cubes of gingerbread.