18. The making of the stock that is used in soup is the most important
of the soup-making processes; in fact, these two things--soup and
stock--may be regarded, in many instances, as one and the same. The
housewife will do well, therefore, to keep in mind that whenever
reference is made to the making of soup usually stock making is also
involved and meant. Before the actual soup-making processes are taken
up, however, the nature of the ingredients required should be well
understood; for this reason, suitable meats and vegetables, which are
the principal ingredients in soups, are first discussed.
19. MEAT USED FOR SOUP MAKING.--With the exception of pork, almost every
kind of meat, including beef, veal, mutton, lamb, game, and poultry, is
used for soup making. Occasionally, ham is employed, but most other
forms of pork are seldom used to any extent. When soup stock is made
from these meats, they may be cooked separately, or, as a combination is
often an improvement over a single variety, several kinds may be
combined. For instance, mutton used alone makes a very strongly flavored
soup, so that it is usually advisable to combine this kind of meat with
another meat that has a less distinctive flavor. On the other hand, veal
alone does not have sufficient flavor, so it must be combined with lamb,
game, fowl, or some other well-flavored meat.
20. Certain cuts of meats are preferred to others in the making of
soups, because of the difference in their texture. The tender cuts,
which are the expensive ones, should not be used for soups, as they do
not produce enough flavor. The tough cuts, which come from the muscles
that the animal uses constantly and that therefore grow hard and tough,
are usually cheaper, but they are more suitable, because they contain
the material that makes the best soup. The pieces best adapted to soup
making are the shins, the shanks, the lower part of the round, the neck,
the flank, the shoulder, the tail, and the brisket. The parts of the
animal from which these cuts are taken are clearly shown in Fig. 2.
Although beef is obtained from the animal shown, the same cuts come from
practically the same places in other animals. Stock made from one of
these cuts will be improved if a small amount of the fat of the meat is
cooked with it; but to avoid soup that is too greasy, any excess fat
that remains after cooking should be carefully removed. The marrow of
the shin bone is the best fat for soup making.
If soup is to be made from fish, a white variety should be selected. The
head and trimmings may be utilized, but these alone are not sufficient,
because soup requires some solid pieces of meat. The same is true of
meat bones; they are valuable only when they are used with meat, an
equal proportion of bone and meat being required for the best stock.
[Illustration: Fig. 2]
21. VEGETABLES USED FOR SOUP MAKING.--In soup making, the housewife has
also a large number of vegetables from which to select, for any
vegetable that has a decided flavor may be used. Among those from which
soups can be made successfully are cabbage, cauliflower, asparagus,
corn, onions, turnips, carrots, parsnips, tomatoes, beans, peas,
lentils, salsify, potatoes, spinach, celery, mushrooms, okra, and even
sweet potatoes. These vegetables are used for two purposes: to provide
flavoring and to form part of the soup itself as well as to furnish
flavor. When they are used simply for flavoring, they are cooked until
their flavor is obtained and then removed from the stock. When they are
to form part of the soup, as well as to impart flavor, they are left in
the soup in small pieces or made into a purée and eaten with the soup.
Attention, too, must be given to the condition of the vegetables that
are used in soup. The fresh vegetables that are used should be in
perfect condition. They should have no decayed places that might taint
or discolor the soups, and they should be as crisp and solid as
possible. If they are somewhat withered or faded, they can be freshened
by allowing them to stand in cold water for a short time. When dried
vegetables are to be used for soup making, they should first be soaked
well in cold water and then, before being added to the stock, either
partly cooked or entirely cooked and made into a purée.