Soups, Types and Styles

Do you know the difference between

• A Soup
• A Casserole
• A Stew
• A Hot Beverage?

I define soup as a liquid food that has been prepared by boiling a combination of vegetables, meat, fish and seasoning

Soup is most often served as a starter as the first part of dinner, but depending on the type of soup, it is can also be the focal point of a dinner, being supplemented with bread or toast.

Soup is also used for medicinal purposes, as a way to provide a nutitional meal that is easy to digest.

Types of Soup

CLEAR SOUPS

Clear Soups are made from a carefully prepared stock, using either meat or vegetables to give it flavour. The main varieties of clear soups are bouillon and consomme

THICK SOUPS

Thick soups are also made from stock but are thickened by the addition of milk or cream, vegetables, eggs, rice or grain. Thick soups can be quite similar to stews or casseoles, and can form the foundation of the meal.

BROTHS

Broths are made from a foundation of clear stock. Broths can be a thin soup, but more often they are made as a thick soup by using vegetables, rice or barley and are serveed as the substantail portion of a meal.

CREAM SOUPS

Cream soups like a Creamy Potato Soup Recipe, are smooth, tasting and highly nutritious. Generally to make a cream soup, the ingredients are blended after cooking and a small portion (a cup or so) of cream or milk is folded into the soup. I always take care when reheating a cream soup not to boil the soup.

BISQUES

Bisques are generally rich and thick, being made from game fish or shell fish (lobster, prawns or crab).

CHOWDERS

Often seafood forms the basis of chowders, and supplemented with vegetables and crackers or croutons.

PUREES

Purees are smooth coups, made by blending the ingredients after the cooking process has finished. A puree is not quite as thick as a cream soup

Soup is indeed a versatile form of nourishment and definitely deserves more accolades than is commonly given!