I wish I had some great news to impart this week, but the best I can do is inform you that this is National Soup Month. This should inspire you to take yourself into the kitchen and conjure up some magic elixir that brings comfort and solace to body and soul.
Soup is a staple in the category known as “comfort food.” It can be refreshing or restorative, soothing or spicy, a light beginning course or a meal in a bowl. Even in subtropical Florida, a steaming bowl of soup conjures up fantasies of food that are comforting and soothing, bringing warmth, nourishment and a tad of nostalgia.
For what would winter be without chicken soup to cure the cold; clam chowder to warm the cockles of one’s being or a rich leek-and-potato soup to sustain and energize us? And when the temperature soars and the sun becomes torturous, what could be more soothing than piquant gazpacho or a cup of rich and flavorful vichyssoise redolent with chives?
Food historians maintain that the English word for soup evolved from the French word “soupe,” which came from the Germanic word “sop” or “sopp”, meaning a piece of bread served or dipped in roasting drippings, broth or other liquids. At one time the number of “sops” or pieces of bread served in a soup was taken by guests as an indication of the host’s stinginess or generosity.
Another linguistic theory has it that the word soup comes from the Latin word “supp” and is of the same family as the Dutch word “sopen” or and the German word “saufen”. These words mean “to swallow.”
During the 1300s, Europeans often served three or four different soups at one meal. At more sumptuous banquets there were often as many as 12 soups served. And if you’ve ever wondered why the ladies of the French royal court were so thin, it’s all due to soup. The women subsisted on broth, consumed in private because they believed that chewing food would result in unattractive facial muscles.
Consommé, the clear soup, was created by the cooks for Louis XIV, who ordered that a soup be created in which he could see his reflection. The Sun King, as he was known, is also responsible for popularizing cold soups. It seems that by the time the king’s food has passed inspection by his retinue of tasters, the soup often had cooled. The king became accustomed to chilled soup and it was frequently included in the menu.
Soup played a vital part in the establishment of restaurants, both in concept and name. In 1765 in Paris, a soup vendor began advertising on his menu “magical restaurant”, meaning restoratives or pick-me-ups. He placed a sign above the door of his eating house and became the rage of Paris and shortly thereafter other ready-to-eat food purveyors began calling their establishments restaurants.
No visit to France would be complete without indulging in a magnificent bouillabaisse, one of the many varieties of fish soups along the Mediterranean. Venus, the goddess of love, is believed to have created this fragrant and delicious brew. According to legend, the recipe was brought to France by Greek fishermen who settled in Marseille. Ingredients include all manner of seafood, olive oil, garlic, tomatoes, saffron, fennel, thyme, bay leaf, orange peel and white wine.
Villages on the coast of Brittany celebrated the return of the fishing fleet by preparing a community fish soup with the fleet’s catch. The fish plus potatoes and vegetables are cooked in a huge “chaudiere” (cauldron). French immigrants brought the term with them and eventually it became “chowder.”
Eventually, our most favorite chowder was developed in New England and has been described as Yankee Doodle in a cauldron.
No need to head up to the snowy, bruising cold of New England for a bowl of steaming, nourishing chowder. Florida seafood will fill the bill very nicely.
New England clam chowder
Ingredients
20 medium-sized clams, scrubbed or 1 quart shucked clams
2 tablespoons butter
½ pound salt pork, rinsed in cold water and finely diced
2 cups diced onions
8 cups clam broth, reserved from steaming clam or bottled clam juice
3 cups peeled and cubed potatoes, cooked until tender in salted water
3 cups half-and-half
Salt and freshly ground white pepper, to taste
Butter for garnish
Oyster crackers or pilot cracker to accompany the chowder
Preparation
* If necessary, steam clams and remove and discard shells. Strain clam broth and reserve.
* In a large kettle place the 2 tablespoons butter with salt pork. Cook over low heat to render fat and brown pork.
* Remove pork pieces with slotted spoon and reserve. Add diced onions to fat and cook until they begin to soften. Add clam broth or clam juice to kettle and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes.
* Chop clams into small pieces and add to kettle along with cooked potatoes. Cover and simmer for 10 minutes. Add half-and-half to mixture and heat slowly. Return the pork to kettle and season with salt and pepper.
* Serve in warm bowls with a pat of butter in each bowl and plenty of freshly ground pepper. Pass the crackers and be prepared for accolades. Serves 8.
Old-fashioned chicken soup
If possible, chicken feet to the broth. They add delicious flavor and make the soup gelatinous.
Ingredients
1 4 or 5 pound roasting or stewing hen, with giblets
Washed, patted dry and cut into 8 parts
2 medium onions, unpeeled and coarsely chopped
1 medium leek, coarsely chopped
1 medium carrot, coarsely chopped
1 medium celery rib, coarsely chopped
2 medium shallots, coarsely chopped
¾ cup dry white wine (I use dry vermouth)
8 whole black peppercorns
8 sprigs fresh parsley
2½ quarts water or for an extra rich soup, add chicken broth or stock
Preparation
* Place the chicken parts in a large pot and add the remaining ingredients. Bring to a simmer over medium heat, skimming off any foam that rises to the surface. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer, skimming occasionally, until the chicken is tender for about 2 hours.
* Remove the chicken from the broth. Strain, but do not press on the vegetables. Allow the broth to stand until the fat appears on the surface; skim fat off.
* Season with salt. Serve the soup in bowls, with pieces of the chicken. At this point add such embellishments as cooked noodles, rice, dumpling, won ton or matzo balls. Makes 6 to 8 servings.
ASK DORIS
Question: Several years ago you ran a recipe for organic dog treats. They were great and easy to made, I have lost the recipe and hope you will rerun it. — Betsy Veen / Naples
Answer: This recipe is on page 92 of my book, “Let’s Talk Food.” For dog lovers, here it is again:
Gourmet dog biscuits
Ingredients
1 package active dry yeast
1 cup warm chicken stock
2 tablespoons molasses
1-3/4 to 2 cups all-purpose flour
1 cup cracked wheat
½ cup cornmeal
½ cup non-fat dry milk powder
1 beaten egg
1 tablespoon milk
Preparation
* Combine dry yeast and chicken stock. Allow yeast to dissolve and sit for about 10 minutes.
* Add molasses and allow to rest for a minute or two.
* Add dry ingredients and blend well. Add egg and milk; blend well and knead the dough for 5 to 7 minutes. Place dough in a mixing bowl; place in a warm place and allow to rise about 45 minutes to an hour.
* Turn the dough out onto a floured board; punch down dough and roll out to about one or two inches thick. Cut in any shape desired and bake in a preheated 350 degree oven for about 45 minutes or until brown and well done.
Doris Reynolds is the author of “When Peacocks Were Roasted and Mullet Was Fried” and “Let’s Talk Food.” They are available for sale in the lobby of the Naples Daily News. Also available is a 4-part DVD, “A Walk Down Memory Lane with Doris Reynolds.” For comments and questions regarding today’s column, contact Doris Reynolds at foodlvr25@aol.com
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