Introduction
This is page 3B of the Culinary Translator, a long-term exercise in trying to translate into plain language the content of many of the dishes that were prepared aboard the “Green Goddess”. Whilst a great deal of research has been done, the contents of this section will neither be exhaustive, nor may it be wholly correct.
Creating Thick Soups
Thick soups fall into 4 classes…
- Bisque
- prepared from the purée of any shellfish
- Purée
- prepared from cooked, then mashed vegetables, to which Consommé is added
- Potage
- an unlimited range composed of single or multiple vegetables, pulped or sieved, then bound with egg yolk, milk or cream. Potages are served with a knob of unmelted butter. Soups bound with egg yolk must not boil once added!
- Velouté
- or Crème Soups, already described in detail on the previous page
The thick soup was always intended as a hearty and warming beginning to any repast. Unlike a broth, a potage was nearly always thickened. Many thick soups went only by the name of their primary ingredient, e.g. Asparagus.
Thick Soup Preparation
Unlike consommé preparation in an open pot, many of the named potages were slow-cooked in the oven. This not only gives an even heat all round, but also gives a more efficient evaporation of the excess water, without overcooking the key ingredients.
Another key base for many potages is the “roux”: equal weights of butter and cornflour. For soups that need to stay white at point of service, very gentle cooking of the roux is needed, else the soup colour can to a point be controlled by the cooking temperature.
Several potages also incorporate broken animal bones during their cooking “aux four”. This not only to add a gelatinous texture to the finished soup but also allows the bonemarrow to provide its umami effect. The “bouquet garni” was usually composed of folded stalks of parsley and thyme with a bayleaf inside a drawstring cotton bag.
A Delightful Prelude
Presentation at table was another aspect not to be overlooked. From a simple knob of butter, to croûtons, chopped parsley / chervil or dusted spices like paprika or turmeric, it's essential that the visuals match those wonderful aromas!
I've mentioned elsewhere just how good Caronia's Soup Cooks were and you were proud to serve their creations. Below are some short descriptions of several named Thick Soups, many of which could be found on Caronia Menus with a “Potage” prefix.
If you can contribute any information, do please get in touch…