Stock Options

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A bit of this and a bit of that
Consider his Shrimp Bisque recipe. The shrimp stock base is enriched with sauteed shrimp shells, carrots, onions and celery. It is bound by heavy cream and is enhanced with sherry and roasted peppers—a classic French soup with a whisper of Spanish influence.

One classic soup that always seems to get better with age (the chef's age and experience that is) is clam chowder. Chef Monte Drollinger, at Normandy Park Assisted Living in Washington State, serves staff and customers (those not on restricted diets) a sublime clam chowder enriched with cream and enhanced with subtle herb notes not generally found in other chowder recipes.

At Davidson College in North Carolina students can now enjoy soups year roundña soup plan just started this past Spring." I have cooks that really take the bull by the horns to come up with delicious soup creations," says Craig J. Mombert, executive chef with Davidson College Dining Services, Vail Commons in Davidson, NC.

First cook Susan Willyard stresses that structured research (cookbooks, internet) combined with sheer soup creativity ("a little bit of that, a little bit of this," she says) helps her produce a wider variety of soups for students and staff.

"Our bakers get in on the act, too, by creating mouthwatering soup sides like crusty rolls and sweet cornbread as accompaniments," she adds.

At the University of Colorado, students can choose from a soup and chili bar that features four homemade soups (at least one vegetarian option) and 2 homemade chilis (one meat and one vegetarian) daily. During the coldest months Dining Services makes about 200 gallons of soup a day. Even during the hottest summer months, the department produces 75-100 gallons a day.

"In addition to serving ethnic and regional soups such as Jamaican pumpkin and Matzoh ball, we also do extensive research to provide soups to coincide with many student cultural celebrations," says UMC Food Services Associate Director Margolin. Students may also submit family recipes that food services will scale."

"Our chef, Paul Romero, has a huge repertoire of delicious soups ranging from simple chicken noodle to his famous—I mean people just about riot if we skip a week—curried chicken soup," says Margolin. "Paul has been known to give personal soup making lessons to staff about to retire, adds Margolin. " They say one of the things they will miss most is the soup!"

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Festive Soup

HERE ARE SOME GARNISHES THAT CAN HELP CREATE HOLIDAY FLAIR. YOU MAY ALSO WANT TO CONSIDER THEM AS SIGNATURE SOUP TOPPERS YEAR ROUND!

For vegetable soup with meat stock:

• Mini meatballs
• Pulled chicken or beef
• Pesto
• Cooked, cubed winter squash and basil julienne
• Whole enoki mushrooms

Vegetarian vegetable:

• Pesto or pistou (basil, garlic and oil-no nuts)
• Mixed wild mushroom saute
• Cornmeal dumplings
• Herb spaetzle
• Bruschetta toast with melted cheese
• Cooked jasmine rice

Seafood soups:

• Rouille red hot peppers, roasted red pepper and garlic puree
• Cooked white rice
• Float of toasted Italian breadcrumbs
• Diced mango, red pepper and lime juice
• Diced crisp bacon bits

Bean soups:

• Diced ham, bacon and parsley mix
• Tomatillo salsa and diced tomato
• Cilantro sour cream dollop
• Chorizo crumbles
• Garlic sautèed red peppers

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Stock Tips

• Use ripe and slightly overripe (not spoiled) vegetables. They add the most flavors since they are sweeter and have a softer cell structure (making the juices-flavor-easier to break down in the cooking process).
• If there is blood on the bones, soak them for 20 minutes to prevent stock from clouding.
• Use a tall narrow pot. The pot will cradle the ingredients closely together so the gentle heat moves the liquid around concentrating the flavor without evaporating too much water.Also, with less evaporation, the cook does not have to continually replace evaporated water (to keep ingredients covered).
• Start with cold water to extract the most flavor from bones, meat and vegetables.Add enough water to cover ingredients by at least 1-2 inchesññnot more, or the stock may become too watery.
• Roasting bones and onions adds color and intense caramelized flavors to the stock.Likewise, sautèing the vegetables and bones enhances flavor.
• Stay away from bones that have very strong, distinct flavors like lamb and duck unless the stock is intended solely for lamb or duck dishes.
• Simmer, do not boil, and skim frequently. Slow simmering helps to extract the best flavors from the stock ingredients. If stock is boiled before the fat is removed ,the fat will emulsify or combine with the liquid and form a cloudy, fatty stock. Instead, you want the fat to remain separate and float to the top so it can be easily removed.
• Do not stir stock, as stirring causes emulsification of fat and stock and makes stock cloudy and greasy.
• Do not cover stock while simmering.The tall pot itself will aid in slow evaporation and intensification of flavors.
• Do not cover hot stock after removing it from the heat. The space between the surface and the lid will remain hot and permit bacterial growth.
• Cool properly for safety. Bacteria grow most rapidly between 40°F and 140°F. The center of a hot stockpot, even when placed in a cold walk-in cooler, is going to stay in this temperature range for hours.
  To prevent bacterial growth, cool stock as quickly as possible.There are many ways to do this. Refer to the NRA ServSafe or HAACP guidelines.
• Boil any stock that has been stored before using it.

The best soups start with a rich, flavorful stock. For operators making stock from scratch, here are a few essential tips.

Sources: CookWise, by Shirley O. Corriher and FM readers

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Spruced Up Stock

In the fast-paced life of the noncommercial operator, making homemade chicken stock may be a luxury. Thankfully, there are some good commercial broths and stock bases to choose from.

To add even more oomph to your soups (sauces and gravies) you can also enhance prepared stock. Here are some techniques:

• Add meat flavor: For every 6 cups of (chicken) broth add 1 pound chicken bones, backs, necks and wings; one quartered large yellow onion. Simmer gently 30 minutes. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.
• For added body: sprinkle 2 packages (18 g) gelatin over 1/2 cup cold water; let sit 2 minutes. With a rubber spatula, scrape gelatin into broth, heat over medium heat stirring until gelatin is completely dissolved.
• Add vegetables and aromatics: To 2 quarts canned, defatted broth add 1 carrot, peeled and sliced thin; 1 medium onion, chopped medium dice; 1 stalk of celery cut into chunks; and 1 bay leaf and several sprigs of fresh parsley. Simmer gently for 15 minutes. Use immediately.
• For Asian flavor: Replace carrot, onion, celery, bay leaf and parsley with a 1-inch chunk of fresh ginger (cleaned but unpeeled), sliced thin and lightly smashed to release oils; and 2 medium green onions halved lengthwise and lightly smashed. Simmer gently 15 minutes. Use immediately.
• Taste and re-taste. To add more flavor to a weak broth or balance a stock dominated by one vegetable (say carrot) chefs may want to simmer broth with seasonal roasted vegetables. Be sure to constantly taste the stock as you season to achieve balanced flavor.

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