A Soup Supper
Cooking Skills: Soups and Stocks 1
Chapter 8 · A Soup Supper
Skill goal
Plan, make ahead, store and serve soup so it becomes a reliable and varied supper.
Shopping list for this chapter
The basics
Soup is the ideal make-ahead meal: most improve overnight, they freeze well, and one big pot feeds several suppers. The skills are planning (a soup, a bread and a garnish), storing (cool fast, chill or freeze in labelled portions) and reheating (gently, until steaming hot all the way through). A good supper soup has something to dunk, something to crunch and something fresh on top.
This chapter brings the whole course together: Cooking Skills: Soups and Stocks 1, chapters 1 to 7. For the Fish and Shellfish soups and stews see Cooking Skills: Fish and Shellfish 2, chapter 3, and for another soup chapter Cooking Skills: Potatoes 1, chapter 8. At the end you write a signature soup: your own base, your own finish.
The method
- Choose a soup, a bread and a garnish that contrast in texture.
- Make the soup the day before, and cool it quickly in shallow containers.
- Chill or freeze in portions, labelled with the soup and the date.
- Reheat slowly until steaming hot, adding a splash of stock or water if it has thickened.
- Finish at the table with the garnish and hot bowls.
| Day | Soup | With | From |
|---|---|---|---|
| Monday | Roasted tomato and red pepper soup | Cheese on toast | Chapters 4 and 7 |
| Tuesday | Red lentil soup | Soda bread | Chapters 5 and 7 |
| Wednesday | Chicken and vegetable broth | Dumplings | Chapters 3 and 7 |
| Thursday | Split pea and ham soup | Crusty bread | Chapters 1 and 5 |
| Friday | Cold gazpacho (summer) or cauliflower soup | Croutons and herb oil | Chapters 4, 6 and 7 |
Storing, freezing and reheating soup
Cooling and keeping stock: stock is an ideal place for bacteria to grow. Strain it, then cool it quickly in shallow containers or an ice bath, chill within 1 to 2 hours, and use within about 2 days (fish stock within 1 day) or freeze it. Never leave a big pot to cool slowly on the hob or worktop overnight. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through.Freezing and defrosting soup: cool soup quickly, then freeze it in labelled flat bags or tubs with a gap at the top for expansion, for up to about 3 months (general guidance). Defrost in the fridge overnight or in a pan over a low heat, and reheat until steaming hot. Soups with cream, egg or potato may separate or turn grainy, so freeze the base and add cream or fresh potato when you reheat.
Reheating soup: reheat soup only once, until it is steaming hot all the way through (bubbling for a couple of minutes), not just warm. Do not reheat soup that has been left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Allergens in soup and stock: celery is one of the 14 major allergens and is in most stocks and stock cubes. Check cubes for celery, gluten, milk, soya, mustard and sulphites, and tell guests what is in the pot, because soup hides ingredients.
Try it
Level 1 · Start here
A soup supper for four
Roasted tomato and red pepper soup (chapter 4), cheese on toast (chapter 7) and a herb oil garnish. Make the soup the day before and reheat it. The cheese on toast takes minutes under the grill just before serving.
Ingredients (4 portions)
- 1 batch of roasted tomato and red pepper soup (chapter 4)
- 4 slices of bread
- 120 g mature Cheddar, grated
- 1 tsp mustard
- 2 tbsp herb oil (chapter 7), optional
- 4 tbsp plain yogurt, to swirl
- Reheat the soup gently in a large pan for 10 to 15 minutes, stirring, until steaming hot, adding a splash of stock if it has thickened.
- Make the cheese on toast under a hot grill for 3 to 4 minutes, as in chapter 7.
- Ladle the soup into hot bowls, swirl in the yogurt, add the herb oil and serve with the cheese on toast.
Reheating, grill and allergens
Reheating soup: reheat soup only once, until it is steaming hot all the way through (bubbling for a couple of minutes), not just warm. Do not reheat soup that has been left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.Hot grill: a grill is extremely hot and food under it burns in a minute. Stay at the cooker, use oven gloves and keep the grill pan clear of loose items. Cheese bubbles and drips, so use a tray.
Hot pot and hot steam: a big pan of simmering stock or soup is heavy and scalding. Keep the handle turned in, use a ladle rather than pouring, lift the lid away from your face, and keep children and pets out of the kitchen while you move it.
Allergens in soup and stock: celery is one of the 14 major allergens and is in most stocks and stock cubes. Check cubes for celery, gluten, milk, soya, mustard and sulphites, and tell guests what is in the pot, because soup hides ingredients.
Level 2 · Plan
A week of soups
Make two big pots on the weekend (say lentil and chicken broth), plan three more soups that take under 30 minutes (pea, egg-drop, gazpacho), and use the freezer for the rest. Each supper has its own bread or garnish so it never feels repeated.
Ingredients (5 suppers for 2)
- 1 big pot of red lentil soup (Monday and Tuesday)
- 1 pot of chicken and vegetable broth (Wednesday)
- 1 batch of pea and mint soup (Thursday)
- 1 batch of gazpacho or cauliflower soup (Friday)
- 1 loaf of soda bread, sliced and frozen
- On Sunday write the plan: which soup, which bread or garnish, and which chapter. Make the two big pots.
- Cool, divide into portions and chill what you will eat in the next 2 days; freeze the rest, labelled.
- Each evening reheat or make the planned soup, add the garnish and tick it off.
Storage, freezing and allergens
Cooling and keeping stock: stock is an ideal place for bacteria to grow. Strain it, then cool it quickly in shallow containers or an ice bath, chill within 1 to 2 hours, and use within about 2 days (fish stock within 1 day) or freeze it. Never leave a big pot to cool slowly on the hob or worktop overnight. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through.Freezing and defrosting soup: cool soup quickly, then freeze it in labelled flat bags or tubs with a gap at the top for expansion, for up to about 3 months (general guidance). Defrost in the fridge overnight or in a pan over a low heat, and reheat until steaming hot. Soups with cream, egg or potato may separate or turn grainy, so freeze the base and add cream or fresh potato when you reheat.
Allergens in soup and stock: celery is one of the 14 major allergens and is in most stocks and stock cubes. Check cubes for celery, gluten, milk, soya, mustard and sulphites, and tell guests what is in the pot, because soup hides ingredients.
Level 2 · Freezer
Freezing and reheating soup
Freeze soup in single-portion bags laid flat, which freeze fast and stack neatly. Leave out cream, yogurt and fresh herbs, and add them when you reheat. Reheat slowly from frozen in a pan with a splash of water, stirring, until steaming hot.
Ingredients (6 portions)
- 1.5 litres cooled soup (lentil, pea, tomato or broth)
- 6 freezer bags
- 1 permanent marker
- 1 tray that fits the freezer
- Cool the soup in shallow containers, chill, and ladle into bags in 250 ml portions. Press out the air, seal and label with the soup and date.
- Lay the bags flat on a tray to freeze for 3 hours, then stack. Use within about 3 months.
- To reheat, run the bag under cold water to release the block, tip into a pan with a splash of water, and heat gently for 10 to 15 minutes until steaming hot.
Freezing and reheating
Freezing and defrosting soup: cool soup quickly, then freeze it in labelled flat bags or tubs with a gap at the top for expansion, for up to about 3 months (general guidance). Defrost in the fridge overnight or in a pan over a low heat, and reheat until steaming hot. Soups with cream, egg or potato may separate or turn grainy, so freeze the base and add cream or fresh potato when you reheat.Reheating soup: reheat soup only once, until it is steaming hot all the way through (bubbling for a couple of minutes), not just warm. Do not reheat soup that has been left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Cooling and keeping stock: stock is an ideal place for bacteria to grow. Strain it, then cool it quickly in shallow containers or an ice bath, chill within 1 to 2 hours, and use within about 2 days (fish stock within 1 day) or freeze it. Never leave a big pot to cool slowly on the hob or worktop overnight. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Level 3 · Signature
Your signature soup
Choose a base (stock and an onion), a main ingredient (a vegetable, a pulse or a meat), a texture (smooth, chunky or clear) and a finish (garnish and bread), and write the recipe as you cook it. Make it twice, changing one thing. A signature soup is one you can make without a recipe.
Ingredients (your choice)
- 1 stock of your choice from chapters 1 and 2
- 1 main ingredient (vegetable, pulse or meat)
- 1 garnish and bread from chapter 7
- 1 notebook and pen
- Choose your stock, main ingredient, texture and finish, and write them down before you start.
- Cook it, noting quantities, times and what you would change.
- Make it again with your change, then write the final recipe on a card.
Hot pot and allergens
Hot pot and hot steam: a big pan of simmering stock or soup is heavy and scalding. Keep the handle turned in, use a ladle rather than pouring, lift the lid away from your face, and keep children and pets out of the kitchen while you move it.Cooling and keeping stock: stock is an ideal place for bacteria to grow. Strain it, then cool it quickly in shallow containers or an ice bath, chill within 1 to 2 hours, and use within about 2 days (fish stock within 1 day) or freeze it. Never leave a big pot to cool slowly on the hob or worktop overnight. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through.
Allergens in soup and stock: celery is one of the 14 major allergens and is in most stocks and stock cubes. Check cubes for celery, gluten, milk, soya, mustard and sulphites, and tell guests what is in the pot, because soup hides ingredients.
Experiments
Experiment
A timed soup supper
Planning.
- Make a soup supper for two with a timer, writing down when each task started and finished.
Look for: You will find the soup is mostly waiting; use that time to make the bread or the garnish.
Experiment
Swapping the stock
Flavour.
- Make the same soup with chicken stock, vegetable stock and water.
Look for: Stock transforms the soup; water is thin, vegetable stock is light, and chicken stock is rounder and savoury.
Experiment
Frozen against fresh
Quality.
- Eat a lentil soup fresh and the same soup after a month in the freezer.
Look for: Properly stored lentil soup is nearly identical; creamy soups may separate a little. Add cream after reheating.
Experiment
Your own signature soup
Making it yours.
- Make your signature soup for a friend and ask for one comment.
Look for: A repeated soup improves every time. Write it down.
Tasting notes
| What I tried | Method or amount | What I saw | What I thought | Will I do it again? |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Soup supper for four | ||||
| A week of soups | ||||
| Freezing and reheating soup | ||||
| Signature soup | ||||
| A timed soup supper | ||||
| Swapping the stock | ||||
| Frozen against fresh | ||||
| Your own signature soup |
Troubleshooting
| Problem | Likely cause | What to do |
|---|---|---|
| Soup too thick the next day | Pulses and potato absorb liquid | Add stock or water when reheating |
| Freezer soup grainy | Cream or potato froze badly | Add cream after reheating; blend again |
| Soup tastes flat after reheating | Seasoning faded | Add salt, lemon and fresh herbs |
| Soup sticks while reheating | Heat too high | Warm slowly and stir |
| Bread soggy | Added too early | Serve on the side, toasted |
| Too much soup | Pot too big | Freeze portions and label them |
Storing, reheating and allergens
Cooling and keeping stock: stock is an ideal place for bacteria to grow. Strain it, then cool it quickly in shallow containers or an ice bath, chill within 1 to 2 hours, and use within about 2 days (fish stock within 1 day) or freeze it. Never leave a big pot to cool slowly on the hob or worktop overnight. Reheat until steaming hot all the way through.Reheating soup: reheat soup only once, until it is steaming hot all the way through (bubbling for a couple of minutes), not just warm. Do not reheat soup that has been left out at room temperature for more than 2 hours.
Allergens in soup and stock: celery is one of the 14 major allergens and is in most stocks and stock cubes. Check cubes for celery, gluten, milk, soya, mustard and sulphites, and tell guests what is in the pot, because soup hides ingredients.
Checkpoint: can you do this now?
- I can plan a soup supper with bread and a garnish.
- I can cool, chill and freeze soup safely.
- I can reheat soup until steaming hot.
- I can make a stock and a soup from scratch.
- I have a signature soup.
Next chapter
Congratulations: you have finished Cooking Skills: Soups and Stocks 1. A second soups course is not yet planned; the series continues with the other cooking skills courses.