Alaska King Crab Bitter Orange Soup

Ingredients:

1 cup (1/2 lb) Alaska King Crab meat
4 cups Water
2 Tbsp Olive Oil
2 cloves Garlic, sliced
1/3 cup thinly sliced Onion
3/4 cup bitter Orange Juice
1 tsp Lemon Juice

Preparation Method :

In a heavy pot, bring the water to a rolling boil.
Reduce heat to simmer.
In a separate pan, heat the oil.
Add the garlic and sauté 5 minutes on low heat.
Remove the garlic and discard.
Add the onion and sauté 7 minutes.
Transfer the onion to the simmering water.
Cook 20 minutes, then stir in the crab meat.
Simmer an additional 2 minutes, then add the bitter orange and lemon juices.
Serve immediately. This soup can be refrigerated and reheated.

Cream of King Crab Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 cups (1 lb) King Crab meat
• 2 quarts Milk
• 1/2 small Red Onion, finely chopped
• 2 Tbsp finely chopped Celery
• 2 Tbsp Butter
• 1 Tbsp Flour
• 1 tsp chopped fresh Parsley
• 1/4 tsp Salt
• 1/3 tsp White Pepper
• Paprika

Method :

Prepare a large double boiler. Combine the milk, onion, celery, flour , parsley, salt and pepper. Cook mixture in the double boiler 45 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the crab meat and cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture is thoroughly heated. Sprinkle with a small pinch of paprika and serve immediately.

Thick Soup

Thick soups are classified depending upon the type of thickening agent used:

1. Purées are vegetable soups thickened with starch
2. Bisques are made from puréed shellfish or vegetables thickened with cream
3. Cream soups may be thickened with béchamel sauce
4. Veloutés are thickened with eggs, butter and cream.

Other ingredients commonly used to thicken soups and broths include rice, flour and grains.

Classification

Soup is a food that is made by combining ingredients, such as meat and vegetables in stock or hot/boiling water, until the flavor is extracted, forming a broth.

Traditionally, soups are classified into two broad groups: clear soups and thick soups. The established French classifications of clear soups are bouillon and consommé.

CHOWDERS

A chowder is a soups that has seafood as the main ingredients. Often, vegetables and crackers are added to thicken the soup and enhance the flavor.

When we need soup?

In winters when the bones are clattering and the teeth are chattering when one thinks of food, the first thing that comes to mind is a bowl of hot and steaming spicy soup.

HOT AND SOUR SOUP

Ingredients:

• 2tbsp. chili sauce or to taste
• 11/2tbsp. Corn flour / corn starch
• 1 tbsp Soya sauce
• 2 tbsp vinegar
• 2tbsp. Capsicum / green bell pepper (chopped)
• 2tbsp spring onions (chopped)
• 2 tbsp tomato sauce
• 2tbsp. carrots (chopped)
• 1/4th cup chopped cabbage
• A small block of cottage cheese / organic tofu (thinly sliced), optional
• 1tsp. Black Pepper powder or to taste
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• A pinch Monosodium glutamate
• Salt to taste
• 4 cups water

Preparation:

• Mix 4 cups of water, Chili sauce, Soya sauce, vinegar, sugar, salt, pepper powder and Monosodium glutamate and bring to boil.
• Now add all the chopped vegetables except cottage cheese . Cook for a minute on a medium heat.
• Dissolve corn starch in 1/2 cup water and add to the soup stirring constantly till it becomes thick.
• Cook for a minute, add cottage cheese slices.
• Serve hot .
• Hot and sour soup should be prepared just before consuming and should be served fresh, else it will lose the taste.

Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

• 2 cups Mushrooms
• 2 cups Chicken or veg stock
• 3 nos. Egg yolks
• 1 cup Milk
• 1/8 tsp Black pepper
• 4 tbsps Butter or margarine
• 1/4 tsp Salt

How to prepare mushroom soup:

• Melt the butter in a pan, add the mushrooms and cook them for 5 minutes stirring constantly.
• Add the chicken or vegetable stock, raise the heat and bring to a boil.
• Remove the mushroom mixture from the heat.
• Beat 1/2 cup of hot broth with the egg yolks until the mixture becomes frothy.
• Gradually pour this mixture into the mushroom mixture, stirring constantly to prevent the mixture from curdling.
• Return the pan to the heat and add the milk, salt and pepper.
• Reheat uncovered, stirring constantly, but do not let the soup boil.
• Serve the mushroom soup hot.

French Cabbage Soup Recipe

Ingredients:

• 1 medium-sized cabbage
• 1 lb. of potatoes
• 1 oz. of butter
• 1 and 1/2 pints milk
• 1 and 1/2 pints water
• pepper and salt to taste
• 1 tablespoon of finely chopped parsley
• 2 blades of mace
• 1 tablespoon of fine wheat meal.

Preparing Method:

1. Wash the cabbage and shred it finely
2. Peel the potatoes and cut them into small cubes
3. Add the cabbage and potatoes to the milk and water and heat until quite tender
4. Add the mace, butter, and seasoning.
5. When quite soft, blend in the wheat meal until smooth
6. Let the soup simmer for about 5 minutes
7. Add the parsley, and serve.

Voila, a great cabbage soup, with a touch of France!

PUREES

Purees are soups made by boiling ingredients, such as tomato, and then straining it to form a pulp. When vegetables like such as beans, peas, lentils or potatoes that contain starch, it is unnecessary to thicken the soup with any additional starch.

However, if the main ingredient is meat, fish or a watery vegetable it becomes necessary to use thicken the soup. A good puree will be very smooth, a bit like the consistency of thick cream.

What is broth

BROTHS
Broths are made from a clear stock foundation. Often broths are a thin soup, but they can also be made quite thick by using rice, barley and vegetables. Thick broths are odten served and used a substantial part of a meal.

History

One of the first types of soups can be dated to about 6000 BC. Boiling was not a common cooking technique until the invention of waterproof containers (which probably came in the form of pouches made of clay or animal skin) about 9,000 years ago.

The word soup comes from French soupe ("soup", "broth"), which comes through Vulgar Latin suppa ("bread soaked in broth") from a Germanic source, from which also comes the word "sop", a piece of bread used to soak up soup or a thick stew.

Types of Soup

Soup divides itself into several varieties, based on the ingredients and texture of the soup. The different types are

• Broth
• Cream Soup
• Bisque
• Chowder and
• Puree

Soup

Soup is often served as the first course of a dinner, but it is can also be the main part of a meal, such as luncheon.

Soup is very easy to make, and uses ingredients that are easy to purchase and not costly. Not only is soup economical to make, but also provides a very wholesome, healthy and nutritious meal.

Soup is often used to help in the recovery of ailments or sickness, particularly if the patient is only able to digest liquids.

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