I am very serious.
Now, I know I am in the minority here just like my distaste for Depeche Mode's apparently best ever Lp , Violator( that is a whole other bag of worms we might or might not wonder into ). But I have never been one to go " Oh gee. I have a hankering for warm ,gushie baby food". The idea of it is repulsive. The warmth and the overly softness of the vegetables. Christ, just writing it down makes my reflex muscle go into action. The worst part is I make really, really good soups. But then again. I make really good food in general. But I have a knack for soup making that has puzzled many over the 30 plus years I have been cooking.
Soup making is like any cooking "style" really. There are certain aspects that need to be observed in order to produce a end product that is not greasy, cooked but not mushy and all very yummy.
Yummy,FYI, is a defined culinary word meaning tastes ,well , yummy.
The biggest mistake people make is using to much "fat" to sauté the mire poix and not drain excess fat from meats that were cooked in the pot.
Mire poix is basically carrots, onions and celery. It can vary slightly with the substitution of leeks for onions. 99% of all savory dishes have a form of this holy trinity. It has been around since the dawn of the days and cooking.And no matter what soup you make you will always use these three as the base.
Other key ideas.....sauté onions and if using, garlic. Cook till light brown in order to bring out the natural sugars . Then add dry herbs and spices and rest of non liquid ingredients. Deglaze with with or vinegar to get all the fond off bottom of pan....
The fond is that sticky , crispy , non burnt particles, on the bottom of the pot. This is flavor as along as it is not burnt.
Then add you stock...simmer, thicken if need be and season with kosher or sea salt and pepper.. Soup on the whole should only take 45 minutes to an hour from start to completion to make...that includes cutting time. It's one of the easiest meals to make and is a super neato way to use leftovers.
I will admit I adore Campbell's chicken noodle...the original only. Don't give me this stars bullahit or Homestyles poo. I want original, overly salty chicken noodle. I also like Harry's clam chowder that you can only get in Washington State. I used to ride the ferries a lot and would always get some at the little dock stop. So tacky but ohhh so Delish!
I am actually finding that as I get older , my preferences for food is getting sharper. I am to just inhaling foods or not paying attention to what I eat. ..personally at home. But that I am cooking more at home and experimenting with diverse product and condiments.
But sorry.... No way in hell anyone is going to convince me that a big bowl of soup is better than a MR ribeye with au gratin potatoes or a big bowl of udon and duck!
And no , Violator may have Halo but Black Celebration has, well, has all the AWESOME songs!!!!!! That's why it kicks Violator in the backside...any day to night!!!
I am a weird Depeche fan.... I have a card that says so.
