Home-made Cream Soups

[Jet Gorgon]

Normally, I cruise the net for recipes, but so many good chefs here, I thought I'd throw the gauntlet out to Y'All. (Raslin started me on it with the tinned soup thread.)

(BTW, made mango/orange chicken seasoned with garlic, fresh chives, dash of soya sauce and paprika for dinner; not too shabby).

If I want to make cream of tomato, OK, I've got frozen reduced tommie sauce with a few herbs; do I just add milk and heat?

How about mushroom? Leek? OOOh, vichysoisse.

[sbk]

Cream of potato is an easy one to make;

First peel and chop and boil your potatoes.

Then, I take some of the cooked potatoes and mash them. The rest go in the soup as pieces

Make a white sauce with butter, minced onions and garlic (flour & a bit of milk). Then, let the white sauce cook a little bit before adding milk and whole cream (in Thailand I use the UHT whipping cream in the box) to make it nice and creamy. Add the (well) mashed potatoes and stir into the soup. This not only thickens the soup but gives it a nice potatoey flavor.

Then add the potato pieces, salt to taste. Simmer until hot (keep stirring!)

I like to add mushrooms to my cream of potato but some people are not big fans of mushrooms.

Sorry, I don't eat tomato soup, too acidic for me

[Jamie]

I don't have any recipes off hand...I'd have to ask my mother as she makes some really good soups. I love cream of cauliflower or cream of broccoli soup. She also makes a great cheese/wild rice soup and beer cheese soup.

[Jet Gorgon]

That's sounds good, Sbk. When I try to make a white sauce, it comes out brown. I guess I shouldn't make a roux first (cooking the flour in the butter)? Lightly saute the onion and garlic, and then add the flour and milk?

Can't remember, are there leeks at the market there? Then you could make vichy.

[thaigerd]

Cream of potato is an easy one to make;

First peel and chop and boil your potatoes.

Then, I take some of the cooked potatoes and mash them. The rest go in the soup as pieces

Make a white sauce with butter, minced onions and garlic (flour & a bit of milk). Then, let the white sauce cook a little bit before adding milk and whole cream (in Thailand I use the UHT whipping cream in the box) to make it nice and creamy. Add the (well) mashed potatoes and stir into the soup. This not only thickens the soup but gives it a nice potatoey flavor.

Then add the potato pieces, salt to taste. Simmer until hot (keep stirring!)

I like to add mushrooms to my cream of potato but some people are not big fans of mushrooms.

Sorry, I don't eat tomato soup, too acidic for me

Vey nice sbk!

A good cream and good butter is very important for cream soups, I like some nutmeg in my potato creamsoup aswell.

When served sprinkle a bit of freshly chopped parsley or chives on top.

Please use the boiling stock from the potatoes which has the strongest potato flavour.

Gerd

[leisurely]

I occasionally make brocolli soup using the stems that are a bit too thick to be eaten. Boil them up and save the cooking water - ie don't drain them, finely chop and cook an onion in butter, don't brown it, add the brocolli and whizz in the blender. Stir in some cream and voila - your very own tasty nutritious soup.

[Jet Gorgon]

I don't have any recipes off hand...I'd have to ask my mother as she makes some really good soups. I love cream of cauliflower or cream of broccoli soup. She also makes a great cheese/wild rice soup and beer cheese soup.

Please call your Mum for her recipes!

[Jet Gorgon]

I occasionally make brocolli soup using the stems that are a bit too thick to be eaten. Boil them up and save the cooking water - ie don't drain them, finely chop and cook an onion in butter, don't brown it, add the brocolli and whizz in the blender. Stir in some cream and voila - your very own tasty nutritious soup.

OK, so I don't have to add flour to thicken her up?

Yes, I hate to throw away water used to boil any veg; maybe I can reduce it and freeze it to make soup or gravy stock later?

[sbk]

I do use some of the potato water, I admit. But not much as the mashed potato adds alot of nice potato flavor.

I cook the roux on a very low heat, but don't cook it long enough to brown it. Just long enough to make a paste, then add the milk very very slowly, stirring all the while, still on the lowest heat you can get. Add enough milk (and potato water) to so that you can cook it for awhile without it cooking down too much (you want to cook out some of the flour flavor). Then add the cream and the mashed potato.

[hotgeekus]

When making a cream soup, if you want it thicker, here are two ways without a 'roux'.

First is to saute your vegetables, if you are making a white cream soup (ie potato, mushroom etc). Saute the veggies (onion, celery, leek etc) under low heat so it gets no added color. Then dust the pan with flour, maybe about 1 tsp per 350 ml or so. Once you mix in the flour and it is absorbed, then add your liquid (cold liquid). It will come to a boil and thicken. Stir occasionally.

Second is just make flour butter. Equal flour to butter. Finish your soup, then add in mixed flour butter mixture with a whisk. You won't tell the thickness until it boils. This works better than a slurry (cornstarch water) as once it cools it does not look like jello.

Another option is to not use any thickening agent, ie. Just peel carrots and fill with chopped onion and water/chicken stock. Add a little piece of ginger, then boil until soft. Mix in blender and the carrots makes the soup velvetly.....

[Jet Gorgon]

When making a cream soup, if you want it thicker, here are two ways without a 'roux'.

First is to saute your vegetables, if you are making a white cream soup (ie potato, mushroom etc). Saute the veggies (onion, celery, leek etc) under low heat so it gets no added color. Then dust the pan with flour, maybe about 1 tsp per 350 ml or so. Once you mix in the flour and it is absorbed, then add your liquid (cold liquid). It will come to a boil and thicken. Stir occasionally.

Second is just make flour butter. Equal flour to butter. Finish your soup, then add in mixed flour butter mixture with a whisk. You won't tell the thickness until it boils. This works better than a slurry (cornstarch water) as once it cools it does not look like jello.

Another option is to not use any thickening agent, ie. Just peel carrots and fill with chopped onion and water/chicken stock. Add a little piece of ginger, then boil until soft. Mix in blender and the carrots makes the soup velvetly.....

Ah. I will try these, too. I rarely use cornstarch as it does get jello-like. I usually do a roux as the flour taste stays if I cook it mixed, unless it cooks for a long time. Thnks Sbk, I will try this potato soup and sprinkle chopped chives on top, Gerd.

[sceadugenga]

Cheat with the white sauce Jet, a nob of butter in milk, and heat on the stove. In the mean time mix flour and more milk to the desired consistency in a small cup, it may need to stand for ten minutes to get the lumps out, then pour it into the simmering milk/butter mix, stirring and adding the flour mix till you get the thickness you want. I use this all the time for cheese sauce. Salt pepper and a little mustard powder finish the job.

[Jet Gorgon]

Cheat with the white sauce Jet, a nob of butter in milk, and heat on the stove. In the mean time mix flour and more milk to the desired consistency in a small cup, it may need to stand for ten minutes to get the lumps out, then pour it into the simmering milk/butter mix, stirring and adding the flour mix till you get the thickness you want. I use this all the time for cheese sauce. Salt pepper and a little mustard powder finish the job.

Thanks, Ghosty! I tried this last night for broc cheese sauce. Grated the cheddar in and it was delectable.