Soups, Stocks and Sauces
The Bones of Cooking
Liquids
• Flavorful liquid– Water, seasoned with herbs and spices– Fruit juices– Tomato juices
Broth vs. Stock
• Broth is simmered in a flavored liquid for a long time
• Made with meat, poultry, fish or vegetables
• Broths can be served as a finished product
• Stock is simmered in a flavored liquid for a long time
• Stock uses the bones, meat and flesh, shells and peels
• Stocks are used to create other dishes and are not eaten alone
Safety and Sanitation
• When using homemade stock in a recipe– Bring to boil– Kills microorganisms such as salmonella– Throw away cold stock that has foam or bubbles
on the surface
Shortcuts• Positives– Quick– inexpensive
• Negatives– Main ingredient is salt
Canned Broth
Soup Base
Bouillon Cubes or Granules
Mirepoix
French Cuisine• Onions—50%• Carrots—25%• Celery—25&
Stocks
• For a brown stock, add onion skins• Depending upon time stock will cook, change
size or mirepoix– Quick cooking time = small dice
Seasonings
• Bouquet Garni– Pepper, bay leaves, thyme, parsley, and garlic– Added to stock at the beginning– Whole herbs are taken out at the end– Salt is not added to a stock because the end
product is uncertain
Principles of Stock Making
• Start with cold water• Simmer gently• Skim frequently• Strain• Cool• Store
Thickening Methods
• Reduction– Simmering until some liquid evaporates– Concentrates flavors– Broths and Bouillons will not reduce because they
lack collagen from bones.
Thickening Methods
• Roux-equal parts of fat and flour cooked to form a paste– White Roux—cooked briefly until bubbly, used in
white sauces– Blonde Roux—cooked slightly longer until it takes
on a carmelized look. Has an ivory color– Brown Roux—Cooked until darker color and nutty
aroma develops. Used in brown sauces.
Facts about Roux
• Must be cooked to develop starches• The longer a roux cooks, the less thickening
power it has.• A brown roux requires twice as much in order
to thicken a product.• Must be cooked for 20 minutes to become
fully incorporated
Cornstarch
• Very popular, inexpensive thickening agent.• Provides a glossy finish to sauce• Breaks down and can not be reheated
Using Cornstarch
• Must be mixed with a cold liquid before added to hot stock=Slurry– Allows grains to separate and begin thickening
without clumping– Thickens immediately, but must be cooked to
eliminate raw flavor
Legumes and Vegetables
• Mashed starchy legumes and vegetables thicken the same as grains– Potatoes– Beans– Peas
Soup
• Clear Soup– Consumme• Broth is clarified to make it clear
– Cream Soup• Thickened with starch, pureed and cream is added• Pureed soup (potato) is blended
Special Preparation Soups
• Chowder– Neither thick, nor clear—chunky by nature
• Bisque—must have shellfish, thickened with cream
Special Preparation Soups
• Fruit Soups– Uses fruit juice as a base and uses yogurt as a
thickening agent. Tapioca may also be used as a thickening agent
• Cold Soups– Served as appetizers– refreshing
Steps for Making Stew
• Meat is cut into small pieces• Dredge meat in flour and brown in fat• Vegetables and herbs are sauteed in
remaining fat• Meat and liquid are returned to pot• Simmer until meat is tender, usually 2-3 hours
Stews
• Prepared by simmering small pieces of meat in a tightly covered pan.– Include vegetables, meat, poultry or fish– Contain less water than soup
Sauces
• Purpose is to enhance flavor of the food—not cover it up!
• The sauce is everything! It should be considered before the meal begins.
The Mother Sauces
Veloute Espagnole
Tomato Hollandaise
Bechamel
The Small Sauce—info only---
Bechamel
• Cream Sauce• Cheese
Sauce
Veloute
• Cardinal-lobster
• Normandy-mushrooms, egg yolks and cream
Espagnole
• Hunter’s Sauce
• Bordelaise
The Small Sauce—info only--
Tomato
• creole• spanish
Hollandaise
• Bearnaise• Chantilly
Oil and Vinegar
• Vinaigrette• Marinades