SOUP
Soup is a very important part in the diet. Meat soups can be made from left-overs, scraps, trimmings, bones, carcasses of fowls or chickens, roasts and steaks, or from cheap cuts of fresh meat. The tougher parts of meat are richer in extractives and soluble albuminoids. Use all parts of meat, bone, lean and fat, and in the proportion of ⅔ lean meat to ⅓ bone and fat.
Always make meat soups with cold water to which salt has been added and gradually heat to boiling point, then simmer; but never boil.
Wipe meat with a cloth wrung out of cold water; separate meat, bone and fat; cut meat into small pieces, so pieces are each drawn out, place in porcelain or granite kettle, allowing 1 pt of cold water to every lb of meat, bone and fat, and 1 tsp salt to every qt of water; let stand ½ hr, then heat gradually to boiling point and simmer at low temp for 6 or 7 hr; seasoning, except salt is generally added the last hour of cooking.
If a scum rises during cooking, it can be removed; although some people prefer to leave it on, as it contains coagulated albuminoid juices.
Strain soup and cool quickly to avoid fermentation. A cake of fat forms on stock when cold which excludes air and should not be removed until stock is used. To remove fat, run a knife around edge of bowl and lift out fat. If any remains, remove by passing a cloth wrung out of hot water around edge and over surface. Save fat for drippings. If you cannot take time to cool stock remove fat with a big spoon.
The water in which vegetables have been cooked is rich in mineral salts and flavoring. This is vegetable stock and should be used whenever possible. Water in which macaroni, rice, barley, etc., are cooked is rich in starch and sugar products and should be retained for soup.
All marrow should be removed from bones before cooking as it can be used to better advantage in other ways.
Cold water draws juices out of the meat into the liquid. Boiling water hardens the outside of meat and prevents juices from coming out.
Bones, meat and vegetables are sometimes cooked a second time with more water to make what is known as “second stock,” not so strong as the first, but better than water for thick soups, sauces and gravies.
Soups are divided into two classes: Soups with stock and soups without stock.
Soups with stock are made from meat and are classified as follows:
Bouillon is made from lean beef, delicately seasoned and very clear. Clam bouillon is one exception and is made from clams.
Brown Soup Stock is made from beef, including bone and fat, and highly seasoned.
White Soup Stock is made from chicken or veal and delicately seasoned.
Consomme is made from more than one kind of meat, and highly seasoned and clear.
Lamb Stock or Mutton Broth is made from lamb or mutton.
Soups without stock are classified as follows:
Cream Soup, which is made from vegetables or fish, with milk and seasonings, always thickened.
Puree is made from vegetables or fish cooked to a pulp and forced through a sieve and milk or cream added with seasonings. Thicker than cream soup. Stock is some times added.
Bisque is made from shellfish, milk and seasonings.
To Clear Soup: Allow white and shell of 1 egg for each quart of stock. Break egg, beat slightly, break shell in small pieces; add to cold stock. Set over fire, stirring constantly until boiling point is reached. Boil 2 min, simmer 20 min; skim, strain through double thickness of white cheesecloth placed over a fine sieve; heat and serve. If you wish to season soup more highly add seasoning to stock before clearing.
Thickening Soups: Soups are thickened with flour, cornstarch or rice flour. Mix flour with very little cold water or milk until it is a smooth paste; add more liquid until it can be poured easily into hot soup; cook soup 15 min after thickening is added.
When butter and flour are used, melt butter and when bubbling, stir in flour quickly and cook together; add about 1 c of hot soup; then add this mixture to soup and cook 15 min.
Soup may be thickened with bread instead of flour. Bread should be dried and browned slightly and added to a small amount of stock, simmered until soft and crushed fine; then dilute with more soup; ½ c dried bread for a quart of finished soup will be as thick as most people like it.
Glaze is simply clear stock boiled down to ¼ of its original amount. Put 2 qt rich, strong stock into saucepan; boil it uncovered until reduced to 1 pt. It should have a gluey consistency and will keep a month if put in a closely covered jar in a cool place. It is useful in browning meats or for enriching a weak stock or gravy or adding flavor and consistency to sauces.
BLACK BEAN SOUP
1 pt dried beans, 4 pt cold water, 1 large onion, 3 stalks of celery (do not remove leaves), ¼ tsp dry mustard, ⅛ tsp white pepper, cayenne, 3 tbp butter, 2 tbp flour, 1 pt hot milk, 2 eggs (boiled hard), 1 lemon.
Wash beans; soak over night in water to cover well; drain; add 4 pt water, celery and onion (sliced); simmer until beans are soft; rub through sieve; reheat; add seasoning, milk, butter and flour rubbed together; slice lemon and eggs very thin; stir into soup at serving time.
SCOTCH SOUP
3 lb mutton from forequarter, 2 qt cold water, ½ tbp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, 2 slices turnip, ½ onion, ¼ c flour, carrot, turnip, ¼ each, cut in small cubes, 2 tbp barley.
Wipe meat, remove skin and fat; cut meat in small pieces; add water, heat gradually to boiling point, skim; cook slowly 2 hr; after cooking 1 hr, add salt, pepper, turnip and onion; strain, cool, remove fat, reheat and thicken with flour diluted with enough cold water to pour easily; cook carrot and turnip diced in boiling salted water until soft; drain; add to soup; soak barley over night in cold water; drain; cook in boiling salted water until soft; add to soup; if barley should be cooked in the soup, it would absorb the greater part of the stock; barley may be omitted; in that case sprinkle with finely chopped parsley and serve with croutons.
BAKED BEAN SOUP
2 c baked beans, 2 tbp onion, 2 c tomatoes, 2 c water, 4 tbp butter, 2 tbp flour, salt, pepper and celery salt, 2 tbp chopped pickle.
Cook beans in water 10 min; press through sieve; cook onion in butter 5 min; add flour and seasonings; when well blended, add tomato, cook 5 min; strain; add bean mixture, reheat; serve with chopped pickles. If beans are very sweet, it may be necessary to add 1 tbp lemon juice or vinegar.
CELERY SOUP
2 c celery, 1 qt cold water, 2 slices onion, 4 tbp butter, 2 tbp flour, 2 c scalded milk, 1½ tsp salt, 1 blade mace, cayenne, celery salt.
Chop celery; cook in water until tender; cook onion and mace in milk 20 min; strain; melt butter; add flour and seasonings; combine celery and milk mixtures; thicken with butter and flour cooked together, cook 5 min; serve. Pieces of celery not suitable for table may be utilized for this soup. Leaves and root of celery make a very good soup.
CONSOMME
3 lb beef, lower part or round, 1 lb of marrow bone, 3 lb knuckle of veal, 3 qt water, carrot, turnip, celery, onion, ¼ c each, cut in dice, 1 tbp salt, 6 peppercorns, 3 cloves, 2 sprigs thyme, 2 sprigs parsley, ½ bay leaf.
Cut beef in 1 in cubes; brown ½ of this in fat from marrow bone; put remaining ½ in kettle with cold water and salt; add veal cut in pieces, browned meat and bones; let stand 1 hr; heat slowly to boiling point; let simmer 6 hr; removing scum as it forms on surface; scald vegetables; add with seasonings the last hour of cooking; strain, cool quickly, remove fat and clear.
MOCK TURTLE SOUP
1 calf’s head, 1 tsp vinegar, 2 tbp onion, 2 tbp turnip, bit of bay leaf, 6 peppercorns, 2 tbp butter, 3 tbp flour, ½ lemon, thinly sliced, 2 qt cold water, 2 tbp carrot, 2 tbp celery, 2 sprigs parsley, 2 tbp chopped ham, 1 c meat from calf’s head, 1 tbp salt, 2 c brown stock, 1 tbp mushrooms.
Cover calf’s head with cold water; add vinegar, vegetables, seasonings; simmer 2 hr; remove 1 c meat; simmer 2 hr longer; strain; cool; remove fat; brown butter; add flour and brown; add brown stock, strained liquor, chopped ham, calf’s head meat, lemon and mushrooms; reheat and serve.
BEEF PUREE
1 pt beef broth, 1 tbp sago, 1 egg yolk, 2 oz raw beef.
Soak sago ½ hr in enough water to cover; stir into hot broth and cook until soft; add egg yolk mixed with little broth and beef, free from fat; reduce to a pulp; cook 3 min.
WINTER JULIENNE
1 qt brown stock, 1 pt mixed vegetables (celery, turnip, carrot, onion, cabbage), ½ tsp salt, ½ tbp peppercorns.
Cut celery and turnip into dice; cut carrot into match pieces; slice onion; cabbage should be coarsely chopped; cook vegetables in boiling salted water until tender; drain; add to soup a few minutes before serving; richer soup may be had by retaining vegetable stock.
SUMMER JULIENNE
To 1 qt consomme add ½ c each, cooked peas, string beans, asparagus tips and onion cut in rings, salt and pepper if needed; heat to boiling point and serve.
CREAM OF CELERY SOUP
2 c water, 2 heads celery, 2 tbp butter, 2 tbp flour, 4 c milk, 1 slice onion, 1 bay leaf, ½ tsp salt, ½ tsp celery salt, ½ tsp black pepper.
Remove outside stalks of celery, saving tender portion for eating raw; wash and chop green stalks; put in saucepan with water; cook slowly for 30 min; press through colander; blend butter and flour in db; add milk, onion and bay leaf; stir constantly till creamy; add celery salt, salt, celery, water and pepper; cover; let water in under boiler boil 10 min; strain into tureen; serve at once with croutons or crisp crackers.
CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP
2 c strained tomatoes, 4 c milk, 1 bay leaf, 1 blade mace, 1 tsp sugar, 1 tsp chopped onion, ¼ tsp baking soda, 2 tsp butter, 2 tbp flour, ½ tsp pepper.
Put tomatoes in saucepan; add mace, bay leaf, onion, salt and pepper; after it begins to cook, let simmer gently 15 min; when tomato begins to simmer it is time to prepare rest of soup; melt butter in db, sifting in flour gradually and rubbing to a smooth paste with a spoon; add milk; stir constantly; after mixture is perfectly smooth and of thickness of rich cream, remove from fire; strain into heated tureen; add sugar and soda to tomatoes; strain into other material in tureen, stirring as you strain; serve at once.
TOMATO SOUP
1 can tomatoes, 1 pt boiling water, 1 small onion, 1 slice bacon or tbp butter, 2 tbp flour, 1 c hot milk, 3 cloves, pepper and salt.
Cook tomatoes in boiling water until soft, adding cloves, onion and bacon or butter; when well cooked, add flour wet with little cold water; cook until thick; strain; add hot milk and seasoning; serve with croutons.
ONION SOUP
Wipe, peel and thinly slice 5 small onions; put in frying pan; cook in enough butter to prevent burning (stirring constantly) until soft; to 6 c stock add onions and salt to taste; cut stale bread in ⅓ in slices and remove crusts; toast on both sides; place in tureen, sprinkle with 3 tbp grated Parmesan cheese; pour soup over bread just before sending to table, or send toasted bread crumbs, soup and grated cheese in separate dishes.
CLEAR SOUP
1 qt stock; ¼ lb very lean beef, whites and shell of 2 eggs, a few slices of vegetables similar to those used in the stock, seasoning and garnish.
Mince meat finely; add whites of egg, slightly beaten, shells, and mix with ½ pt of the stock; when well blended, add with vegetables to remainder of stock; when hot leave it over the fire without touching till it boils; cook very gently 5 min longer; add ½ c cold water; after it has stood 10 min strain through fine cloth that has been wrung out of hot water and spread over a bowl or attached to a soup stand; if the first liquor which runs through the cloth is not quite clear pass it through again.
Remove any grease that may be on top of soup by passing small pieces of blotting or tissue paper over it, so as to absorb the globules of fat; then season with salt, celery salt, cayenne and lemon juice if the flavor is desired; color if necessary with caramel (the soup should be the color of sherry) and serve plain or with a garnish.
GARNISHES FOR CLEAR SOUPS
For Julienne Soup: To each qt of clear soup add ⅓ c each carrots, turnips, cut into strips 1 in long and about thickness of a match, boil in water till tender.
For Brunoise Soup: To each qt of clear soup add ⅔ mixed vegetables cut into ¼ in cubes, or cut into fancy shapes with a vegetable cutter, boiled in water till tender.
For Macaroni Soup: To each qt of clear soup add ½ c macaroni cooked in boiling salted water till tender and cut into rings.
Consomme Royal: Make a custard, allowing 2 tbp milk to each egg used; beat together; season to taste; strain into cup and either place cup in saucepan of water over fire, or place in oven and cook till set; cut into dice with knife or into fancy shapes; drop into soup just before serving.
Soup Croutons: Cut stale bread, without crust, into ½ in cubes and fry golden brown in hot fat, or cut slices of buttered bread into cubes and crisp in a hot oven. Either drop into soup as it is served or place in a side dish.
PLAIN BROWN SOUP STOCK
6 lb shin of beef, 4 qt cold water, carrot, onion, turnip, celery, ½ c each, cut in cubes, ½ bay leaf, 6 peppercorns, 4 cloves, 2 sprigs parsley, 1 tbp salt.
Wipe beef with wet cloth; cut in small pieces; brown ⅓ of this in marrow from the marrow bone; put this with remaining ⅔ of meat, with bone and fat, into kettle; heat very slowly to boiling point; reduce temp, cover, and let simmer for 6 hr; add vegetables and seasonings last hour of cooking; strain and cool quickly.
OX TAIL SOUP
2 tbp drippings or other fat, 2 ox tails, 1 large onion, 1 carrot, 2 sprigs parsley, 1 bay leaf, 2 stalks celery, 2 qt cold water or stock, 2 level tbp pearl barley, 1 level tbp flour, 2 tbp cold water, salt and pepper or cayenne.
Melt fat and fry in it carrot and onion cut into dice, also ox tails, which have been cut in pieces; when brown add water, celery, parsley and bay leaf tied together; when boiling put in barley and simmer 4 hr; remove large bones, celery, parsley and bay leaf, and thicken soup with flour rubbed smooth with 2 tbp cold water; season rather highly; serve.
MUTTON BROTH
2 lb neck of mutton, 2 qt cold water, 1 tsp salt, 1 small turnip, 1 small carrot, 1 small onion, 2 tbp barley, 1 tsp chopped parsley, extra salt and pepper to taste.
Wipe meat; cut into small pieces; place in saucepan with cold water; let come slowly to boiling point; add salt, which causes any scum there may be to rise; simmer for 1 hr, skimming occasionally, add vegetables cut into dice, barley; cook till vegetables are quite tender; season to taste; add chopped parsley just before serving.
JUGGED SOUP
6 potatoes, 1 onion, 6 tomatoes or 2 c canned tomatoes, 1 turnip, 1 can peas, 1 grated carrot, ¼ c rice, 3 qt water, 1 tbp salt, 1 tbp sugar, ½ tsp pepper, 1 pinch allspice.
Slice vegetables and place with seasonings in alternate layers in bottom of stone crock with a cover; boil any carcasses of cold fowl, bones of waste meat or steak, with trimmings, in 3 qt water until reduced to 2 qt; strain, cool and remove fat; pour broth over vegetables, put on cover; seal with paste to keep in steam; set jar in pan of hot water; place in oven; cook 5 hr.
DELICIOUS QUICK SOUP
1 c carrot cubes, 1 c potato cubes, 1 large onion, sliced, 1 c celery, sliced, ½ c of fat from chicken or beef stock, 1 qt water, 4 tbp meat extract, 1 bay leaf, 1 tsp salt, ¼ tsp pepper, ⅛ tsp paprika.
Melt fat and in it cook carrot, celery and onion; stir constantly; cook 15 min; cook potatoes in boiling water; drain; rinse in cold water; drain again; add to other vegetables with broth and season; cook 1 hr; remove bay leaf and serve.
TOMATO SOUP WITH STOCK
6 tomatoes or 1 qt canned tomatoes, 1 onion, 2 cloves, 6 peppercorns, bit of celery root or ½ tsp celery seed, 1 tbp flour, 1 tbp butter for every qt of soup.
Take bones and trimmings from roast beef and any other scraps of meat or bone; put in kettle; cover with cold water, twice as much water as meat; add seasonings; cook 4 hr; skim off fat; add tomatoes; cook 30 min; skim out bones and meat; strain liquor through a puree strainer, rubbing all tomato pulp through; heat and thicken with flour, cooked in the butter.
TURKEY SOUP
1 turkey carcass, water to cover, 1 small onion, 1 stick of celery, ½ tsp extract of beef, 2 tbp rice, seasoning to taste.
Break carcass in pieces; remove all stuffing; add water to just cover; simmer 2 hr with celery and onion; remove bones, strain; add extract of beef and rice which should have been previously cooked in boiling salted water; let soup reach boiling point, season and serve with croutons.
SPRINGTIME SOUP
Large head lettuce, ½ pt peas, bunch parsley, 1 sliced onion, 1 tbp butter, salt and pepper, 3 egg yolks, 2 qt stock.
Shred lettuce and parsley; brown onion in butter, and put in saucepan with peas; cover with water; add salt and pepper; cook till tender; bring stock to a boil; beat up eggs with half a cup of vegetable liquor; add with hot stock to other part just before taking from fire.
FRUIT SOUP
1 qt ripe fruit run through fc (strawberries, raspberries or grapes), 1½ c sugar, ½ c water, juice and grated yellow rind, 1 lemon, 2 tbp gelatine, ¼ c cold water.
Soften gelatine in ¼ c water; add sugar to fruit pulp; let stand 1 hr; squeeze through cheese cloth; add ½ c water; heat to boiling point; add gelatine; remove from fire; when cool add lemon; set aside to chill; break up and serve in bouillon cups.
BOUILLON
For receptions or other large parties, it is simply beef tea on a large scale and should be prepared like a plain soup stock, allowing 1 lb meat and bone to each pt of water. Season with pepper, salt, celery and onion if liked. It is best made day before it is served; set on ice over night, remove every atom of grease; strain and clear according to directions given; serve hot or iced.
CARROT SOUP
Carrots, 2 slices onion, sprig parsley, ¼ c rice, 4 tbp butter, 1½ tsp salt, few grains cayenne, 2 c water, 2 c scalded milk, 2 tbp flour.
Chop enough carrots to make 2 c; cook in water until tender; press through sieve, reserving liquor; cook rice in milk in db; cook onion in butter; add flour and seasonings; mix carrot mixture with rice and milk; pour on to butter and flour; bring to boiling point; strain and serve; garnish with chopped parsley; if it is too thick, thin with cream or milk.
PEA SOUP
1 can peas, 2 c cold water, 1½ tsp salt, a bit of bay leaf, 3 tbp butter, 3 tbp flour, 3 c scalded milk, 1 tbp chopped onion, cayenne and salt.
Cook peas, bay leaf, onion and cold water 20 min; press through a sieve; make a white sauce of butter, flour and milk; combine mixtures, add seasonings and serve. 2 c cold cooked dried peas may be used instead of canned peas.
TOMATO BISQUE SOUP
1 can tomatoes, 1 qt milk, 2 tbp chopped onion, ¼ c flour, ¼ c butter, 1½ tsp salt, 1 tsp chopped parsley, ¼ tsp soda, cayenne and celery salt, 6 cloves.
Melt butter, add onion; cook 5 min; add flour, milk and seasonings; cook in db 20 min; cook tomatoes; press through sieve; add soda; combine mixtures and strain; serve immediately; if tomato is very acid, it may be necessary to add more soda to neutralize.
POTATO SOUP
5 potatoes, boiled, 2 tbp onion, 2 tbp carrot, ¼ tsp celery salt, salt, pepper and cayenne, 3 tbp butter, 2 tbp flour, 1 qt milk.
Cook onion and carrot in butter 5 min; add flour, milk, seasonings; cook in db 20 min; add mashed potato; serve after straining; 1 c stewed and strained tomatoes may be added if desired.
SPLIT PEA PUREE
2 c split peas, 8 c water, 3 tbp chopped onion, 1 tsp salt, 2 drops tabasco sauce, 4 tbp chopped pork, 2 tbp butter, 2 tbp flour, 2 c milk.
Soak peas over night; drain; cook until tender; cook onion and salt pork together 10 min; add to pea mixture; press through sieve; melt butter; add flour, milk, seasonings; cook 5 min; combine mixtures and serve.