Making of Soup Stocks

Ladies' Mirror, Volume 5, Issue 1, 1 July 1926, Page 67

Making of Soup Stocks

Success in soup-making largely depends on the quality of the stock employed, for although certain soups, such as vegetable purees, can be made with milk and without stock, it forms the basis of most soups, both thick and clear. Stock is the liquid in which meat, bones and vegetables have been boiled slowly for several hours, to extract both the goodness and flavour.

There is nothing difficult to learn about the making of stock, or bouillon as it is frequently called, and although in large establishments a stock-pot is almost a necessity, a large saucepan serves the purpose quite well in a household of moderate size. Stock-pots made of goodquality aluminium or tin-lined copper arc recommended, and it is advisable to select one fitted with a tap at the bottom, as this allows grease-free stock to be drawn off at any time. The fat, being lighter, remains on the surface of the stock.

Stock may be of several kinds: meat stock, bone stock, and vegetable stock. Fish and game stocks, made with the trimmings and bones of fish and game, are also used for the basis of soups and sauces.

MEAT stock may be either white or brown, according to the colour of the meat from which it is made. For white stock, light meats such as veal trimmings, knuckle of veal, and chicken bones arc used, whilst beef and mutton make brown stock. It is hardly necessary to explain that light-col-oured stock should be used whenever possible for white and cream soups and pale-coloured sauces.

For a good meat stock, whether white or brown, the following proportions of ingredients should be used: 21b. of shin of beef or knuckle of veal, 2 quarts of cold water, salt to season, one onion, one small carrot, half a turnip. Remove any fat from the meat, cut into fairly small pieces, and chop the bones if necessary. Put into a large saucepan or stock-pot, cover with water, and add the salt. Bring slowly to simmering point, remove any scum that rises, and then add the vegetables, which should previously have been prepared and cut into three or four large pieces, but not into thin slices, and a small sprig of parsley and thyme. Simmer gently for from 4 to 6 hours, strain into a basin, and allow to cool. When quite cold, preferably on the following day, remove any fat that has settled on the surface. Stock made thus is of best quality, and is known as “First Stock.” As I have already mentioned, it forms the foundation of good-quality clear soups, or consommes.

For general purposes it is not necessary to use stock made from fresh meat, in fact, oddments of cooked or uncooked meat, bones, vegetables, clear gravy, etc., can be utilised. There are, however, certain scraps of food which should never find their way into a stock-pot, e.g., pieces of suet or batter pudding, bread, fat or bacon.

DONE stock is less expensive and U makes excellent broth and vegetable soups of all kinds. The method for making it is the same as that already described, except that 21b. of bones instead of meat arc used.

Vegetable stock, as the name implies, is made entirely from vegetables and is described as “maigre” or “without meat.” Needless to say, stock of this kind has not the same nourishing qualities as that made with meat or bones. The vegetables required are one large onion, carrot, and half a medium-sized turnip, together with loz. of dripping or butter and a quart of water. Melt the fat and fry the vegetables golden brown. Add the cold water and sufficient salt to season. If liked, half a teaspoonful of celery seeds may be added ; these must, of course, be tied in a small piece of muslin. Bring to the boil and simmer gently for three hours. Strain and allow to cool; remove any fat.

Anyone with a knowledge of stock-making should encounter few difficulties in the making of a very large variety of soups, for the method of making bouillon, soups, and broths does not vary very much, the different flavourings and vegetables employed producing new soups. i

Celery Mind Qreen Pea 'Puree

T N.GREDIEN PS— ill), dried green peas, I head celery, 1 quart of stock, cither meat, bone, vegetable, or pot liquor; 1A pints milk, loz. butter, ioz. cornflour; pepper and salt to season. Soak the peas overnight. Clean the celery, cut into small slices and remove as much moisture as possible by drying. Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the peas and celery place over a low heat, and stir occasionally until all the butter is absorbed by the vegetables. Add the cold stock from which all fat has been removed. Bring gently to simmering point, and simmer until the peas and celery are quite tender. It is impossible to say exactly how long this will take, but the time will vary from U to 2A hours. When the vegetables are tender, pass the soup through a sieve.

Difficulty is sometimes experienced in rubbing food through a sieve. This may be due to either (1) the method employed, (2) the fact that the food is insufficiently cooked, or (3) that it is too dry. To simplify the sieving process it is advisable to take one cupful of soup at a time so that the vegetables and liquid are worked through together, for if the whole contents of a saucepan arc emptied into a sieve, the liquid naturally goes through, leaving the dry vegetables behind. The quickest method of rubbing either vegetables or fruit through a sieve is to use the back of a fairly large wooden spoon, placing the first three fingers in the bowl of the spoon so that really hard pressure can be applied.

After sieving, return the soup to the saucepan and re-heat. Mix the cornflour to a thin paste with the cold milk and when the soup is boiling pour it in, stirring meanwhile. Continue to stir until the soup reaches boiling point, then simmer for five minutes to cook the cornflour thoroughly.

The reason for adding cornflour or some other farinaceous substance is not to thicken the soup, but to suspend the puree, or small particles of vegetable, in the liquid. If no such thickening is added, the vegetables, although in tiny pieces, will sink to the bottom, but too much will make a sou]) stodgy and unpalatable. As an alternative to cornflour, ground rice, semolina, or ordinary wheat flour may be utilised. although cornflour is more generally used.

Purees, or thick soups, are not decorated or garnished in any way, but croutons of fried bread or toast should be served with them, and if liked a few may be thrown into the soup immediately before serving.

To 'Prepare Fried ("rontons USE bread at least two days old. Cut a slice from about -foiii. to t in. thick, and then cut this into narrow strips. Hold the strips firmly in position and cut again at right angles, to form dice. By this means croutons of similar size arc quickly obtained. Shake gently to remove loose crumbs, place in a frying-basket, and fry in deep fat from which blue smoke is rising. Drain and serve on dish paper. ' If a deep frying-pan is not available, or if it is inconvenient to heat fat for the croutons only, toast may be used instead. The bread should he toasted golden brown on either side and then cut into dice as directed for the fried croutons.

Cream Of Vegetable Soup THIS soup is a very palatable -*• soup, made from green peas and artichokes, and proves very inexpensive. The ingredients required are: ljlb. artichokes, ill), peas. 1 qt. of light stock, pot liquor, or water; ioz. butter, !oz. cornflour, 1 pint milk 1 small onion, 1 blade mace, 1 cloves 1 hay leaf, pepper and salt to season. Prepare the artichokes and cut into slices. Put into cold water immediately to which a little lemon juice or vinegar has been added, thus preventing the art chokes becoming a bad colour an 1 so spoiling the appearance of the soup. Melt the butter, stir in the artichokes, sliced onion, and peas, which should previously have been soaked. Moil until the vegetables are thoroughly tender then pass through

■fa Steve* and return to tile saucepan. , Mix the cornflour to a thin cream

with a little of the milk. Add the remainder of the milk to the soup and reheat; when nearly boiling pour in the blended cornflour and boil for five minutes, stirring meanwhile. Serve with croutons of bread or toast. Winter Vuree TN this, nuts and celery combine * to make a delicious soup for supper or dinner. The following ingredients are required: 21b. chestnuts, 1 quart stock or water, i head celery, 1 small onion, bouquet garni, ■aoz. semolina, 1 quart milk, pepper and salt to season. Put the chestnuts in cold water and bring to the boil ; remove the skins and cut into slices. Prepare and slice the onion and celery, then put the sliced chestnuts, onion, and celery into a saucepan and pour on boiling stock. If stock is not available, a mixture of milk and water can be used. Add the bouquet garni, which is composed of a small bunch of herbs—such as parsley, thyme, a blade of mace, and marjoram tied together so that they can easily be removed during the cooking process if necessary. Add pepper and salt to season and simmer gently until the vegetables are lender. Rub through a sieve, return to the saucepan, and bring to boiling point. When boiling, sprinkle in the semolina, taking care to stir quickly meanwhile to prevent lumps forming. Cook for about X minutes and serve very hot. Kidney Soup INGREDIENTS—iIb. ox kidney. -*■ 1 onion, 3 pints stock, i teaspoonful pepper, Uoz. dripping, a small bunch of herbs. l-'oz. Hour. 1 tablespoon ful ketchup, pepper and salt. Wash the kidney in salt and water, then cut it into small pieces. Put the Hour on a plate and mix with it the spice and seasoning. Toss the kidney in this until each piece is well coated. Melt the dripping in a saucepan and. when smoking hot, put in the prepared kidney and onion finely chopped, and fry until well browned. Pour in the stock, and if not well flavoured, add a cupful of chopped vegetables as well. Stir for a minute or two, add the herbs, and allow the soup to cook slowly for three or four hours, skimming and stirring occasionally. When the kidney is tender, strain the soup remove any fat from the top and return to the saucepan to re-heat. Rinse the pieces of kidney free from all vegetables and re'urn to the soup, along with the ketchup and salt to taste.

'Puritan Soup INGREDlENTS A tablespoon ful (lour, loz. butter. 3 cupfuls hot milk, seasoning. Choose good-sized potatoes, wash and peel them and cut into quarters. Cook in boiling salted water until tender, then drain, reserving the liquid. Press the potatoes through a sieve or vegetable presser while still hot, and return them to the saucepan. Add three cupfuls of the water in which the potatoes were boiled, and bring this to simmering point. Meanwhile wash some parsley or cress, drain, and chop finely. Add them to the soup mixture along with the hot milk, and season with pepper and salt to taste. Mix the Hour to a smooth paste with about two tablespoon fills of water or cold milk, add to the soup, and stir until blended. Put in the butter broken in small pieces, and cook a few minutes longer. Serve with toasted bread.

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