|
 Nothing
says ‘Fall’ like a warm, hearty bowl of soup. Whether
it’s a soup to whet one’s appetite for a grand feast
or a simple bowl of soup for lunch, soup can sooth the soul
and warm the heart.
The first step for any great soup is the
broth or stock. Hands down, the best stocks are homemade.
For a gluten-free family, homemade is not only better, but
safer, because you know exactly what is in it. We make large
stockpots of chicken and beef broth and freeze it in one and
two-cup containers for future use. Vegetable and fish stock
can be made in less than an hour, and therefore are easy to
make as you need them.
Soups are not only versatile, they are generally
easy to make. Vegetable soups begin with broth and add any
vegetables on hand, herbs, spices and you’ve got a great
soup. If you prefer a heartier vegetable soup, simply add
meat, chicken, or gf pasta and you have a filling meal.
Cream soups of just about any flavor, are
made with the same basic formula.
 Sauté
onions or shallots, add stock and a vegetable and simmer until
the vegetable is very soft. Puree in a food processor and
return to the pot. Add cream and seasonings, reheat and you’ve
got a velvety cream soup.
The truly great thing about soup is you
can’t do it wrong. If your soup lacks flavor, add herbs
or more salt, if your soup is too thick, add more stock; soup
can be adjusted and flavorings corrected at any point in the
preparation process.
The finishing touch to a bowl of soup will
make the difference between great and spectacular. Garnishes
for soup can be simple to elaborate but will always create
a sophisticated presentation. An important tip to remember
when garnishing soup is ‘less is more’. Whatever
you use, use it sparingly. Let’s face it, what food looks
like is almost important as what it tastes like. Here are
a few ideas for your next great bowl of soup:
*Decorate light colored cream soups with
a small contrasting pieces of vegetables. It is always a good
idea to use vegetables or herbs that have been used in the
soup itself.
*Use a small sprig of a fresh herb or chopped
herbs
*Decorate a dark cream soup by making an
infused cream and filling a plastic squeeze bottle. Squeeze
a squiggle design on top of the soup.
 *Dollop
with grated cheese
*Sprinkle with toasted nuts
*Decorate Latin soups with sliced avocados
or with thin strips of toasted corn tortillas
*Puree red bell peppers and squiggle a design
on top of light cream soups
Try these garnishing ideas on these great
soups:
Chicken
& Tortilla Soup
Cream
of Mushroom Soup
Fennel
& Tomato Soup w/Italian Sausage
Harry’s
Ciopino
Potato
& Leek Soup
Minestrone
Pumpkin
Soup w/Gruyere
Roasted
Red Pepper Soup
Zucchini
Soup
-Glutenfreeda
| 
