8 Essentials for Making Great Soup (Page 4)

How to Make a Simple Vegetable Stock

When preparing a day’s worth of meals, save all the ends, skins and discarded parts of the vegetables you are using. Make sure to clean off any dirt or rotted pieces. Not enough in a day? Then refrigerate the cuttings and continue to gather the odds and ends until you have enough to fill a medium to large saucepan or soup pot.
When ready, place all the pieces in the pot and cover the vegetables with water to about 2 inches above the top. At this point, you can add your favorite herbs, garlic, onion and sea salt to make a richer flavor. Cover the pot, heat to a low boil, and reduce to a simmer.
It is best to simmer the vegetables in the evening, right after dinner, so the stock can cook for a good 2-3 hours. Then, just before bedtime, turn off the heat, leave the pot covered and let it sit overnight. In the morning, strain the stock through a metal strainer, discarding the vegetables. You can do a final strain through cheesecloth placed inside the strainer.
Pour stock into containers and refrigerate what you will be using, and freeze extras for a future soup.

How to Make Japanese Dashi

In a large stockpot, soak one piece kombu sea vegetable and half a cup sliced (or 3 whole dried) shiitake mushrooms in 8 cups of water.
Bring to a simmer, cover, turn off heat and allow to sit for 15-30 minutes. Remove kombu and add vegetables. Use dashi to make soup or as a base for rice and noodles.

4 of 4
back to page 1

Disclaimer: The views expressed above are solely those of the author and may not reflect those of
Care2, Inc., its employees or advertisers.

Edvanir L.

8:30PM PDT on Mar 27, 2013

Great tips. thank you.

March 27
send a green star

Lynn D.

1:47AM PST on Mar 6, 2013

Thanks!

March 6
send a green star

Claire M.

7:03PM PST on Dec 24, 2012

Good tips, thank you. :)

December 24
send a green star

Fred H.

1:57PM PST on Dec 24, 2012

Thank you Delia, for Sharing this!

Jane H.

1:42PM PST on Dec 13, 2012

December 13
send a green star

Charlene R.

11:59AM PST on Nov 23, 2012

Obviously, winter is a ideal time of year for soup.
The best part is, almost any food can be made into a soup and with the number of cooking websites on the internet, it could not be more simplistic.

Vegetable soup is a marvelous start, using the meat and/or vegetables you prefer, along with tomatoes. If you like a thicker soup, mash your potatoes before adding.

Never forget ~ Soup only gets _better_, when reheated.

November 23
send a green star

Kimberlee W.

10:42AM PST on Nov 14, 2012

Henriette - I don't know where you're from but it sounds great. But you should know that not most Americans know what aubergine is (it's eggplant). And I cook A LOT but nigella seeds and curcuma escape me. No idea what they could be though one sounds like cumin. Could you help?

And - - -

For thickening soups, most call for cream or milk. I do like the taste of dairy, but not the heaviness. So I've discovered that in most creamy soup recipes, I can add to the broth, a finely diced potato or other complimentary Starchy vegetable, cook that for about 20 min., and then, for every quart of soup, tear up a big slice of toasted bread. Soak that at the end of the cooking until it disintegrates into the broth. Then put through the blender in a couple of batches. Then, to add back the flavor of cream, I'll add a Tbsp or two at the very end before I put on my toppings and stir that thoroughly.
Speaking of toppings, I get good use out of either toasting fresh garlic chips in olive oil or putting thin-sliced alliums (leeks, onions, etc.) in a bowl of flour, dusting them off and then a quick fry in hot olive oil. Drain both the garlic or veggies on paper towels or brown paper to get rid of excess oil and dry slightly. These are also great over soups.

November 14
send a green star

Henriette V.

6:06PM PST on Nov 13, 2012

in a pan prepare some onion,garlic,leek and aubergine with turmeric,olive/coconut oil,oregano,salt and pepper,nigella seeds,fresh ginger and curcuma to mention but a few and just any other herb and spice on your list.
while that is going take 3-4 medium size tomatoes diced and boil in large pot covered in water-adding some of the same herbs and spices.
once veggies are nicely coloured,add to tomatoes and continue some 20 min. to boil.
close lid and leave for 20min more and ready to mix and enjoy.