THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, January 15, 1995 TAG: 9501120045
SECTION: FLAVOR PAGE: F1 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BETTY DOUGLASS SPECIAL TO FLAVOR
LENGTH: Medium: 89 lines
SOUPS AND stews have long been favorite winter fare for families.
They have grown together in the world's cuisine, their origins ``lost in antiquity,'' according to the Dictionary of Gastronomy by Andre L. Simon and Robin Howe (Overlook Press, 1987).
Both dishes are among the most widely accepted forms of food.
``Soups are basically water in which all manner of solid foods - fish, fowl, cereals, vegetables and fruits - have been cooked,'' say Simon and Howe.
Throughout the ages, soups have provided sustenance akin to bread. ``As a basic food, every country has had its soup,'' the authors say. Consider France's pot-au-feu, Italy's minestrone, Russia's borscht.
I like to think of stew as a thicker bowl of soup. Stew is usually made with meat, fish and vegetables, but the meat is often floured and browned for extra flavor before the liquid and aromatic vegetables are added for a long, slow cooking.
When I was growing up, stew often was the plain beef variety, made from cubes of stew meat or chuck and cooked with lots of root vegetables. The cubes of beef were seasoned with salt and pepper and coated with flour, then browned gently in a Dutch oven in a small amount of fat.
When the cubes were nicely browned and no longer sticking to the bottom of the pan, a small amount of water was added and the meat was simmered for about an hour with a few sliced onions, cubed potatoes, carrots and turnips.
Most outstanding cooks still believe the only way to start a soup or stew is by making your own stock.
But if time does not permit it, check the supermarket shelves for canned broths and bouillons. Many contain reduced sodium and fat.
Or, combine two cups of canned stock with a small amount of finely chopped onion, celery and carrots, a sprig or two of fresh parsley, 1/2 bay leaf and a pinch of thyme. Simmer for 25 minutes and strain.
You needn't spend a day making stew, or soup. I have collected a variety of recipes for hurried cooks.
As Jane Horn says in ``Cooking From A to Z'' (the Cole Group, 1992): ``Soup has a thousand faces. It can be part of a meal or the meal itself. It can be as plain as the unadorned, and as stylish as a sparkling consomme or a delicate cream soup that might begin an elaborate, multi-course dinner.
``In between are a myriad of combinations, textures and consistencies which make soup cookery a delightful adventure for the creative cook.''
The same goes for stews.
The following recipes can be made ahead, refrigerated or frozen, and reheated at meal time. MEMO: Betty Douglass is a free-lance food writer and home economist in
Portsmouth. All recipes in this article have been kitchen-tested by the
author. ILLUSTRATION: RICHARD L. DUNSTON/Staff color photos
Shrimp and Bok Choy Soup has an Eastern flavor. Throughout the
world, soups are a basic food that provides sustenance akin to
bread.
To make Shrimp and Bok Choy Soup, you can assemble the ingredients
in advance and cook the soup in minutes.
Graphic
HELP WITH STEWS
Here are a few tips about stews from ``Cooking A to Z,'' edited
by Jane Horn (the Cole Group, 1992):
Crowding the pan when browning meat or poultry causes the meat to
steam instead of brown. Provide sufficient space.
To brown, meat needs to stick slightly to the pan so that its
juices can caramelize. Do not move the meat around too much or stir
it too often during browning; stirring inhibits the caramelizing
process.
Prolonged boiling toughens meat. Once the liquid has been added,
bring it just to a boil. Then regulate the heat so that the liquid
bubbles gently for the rest of the cooking time.
When the meat in a stew is nearly tender, stir it sparingly and
gently so that the chunks will not break up.
If the sauce of a stew is not thick enough, remove the meat and
vegetables with a slotted spoon, boil the liquid until it thickens,
and then return the solid ingredients to the pan.
If a day-old stew is too thick from having absorbed some of the
liquid, it may be necessary to add a little water when reheating.
by CNB