Ever wonder why restaurant soup is so intense in flavor? Soup has always been the vehicle for using up all the tidbits of everyday cooking and leftovers. Grandmothers never used recipes, just common sense. With a little knowledge, you too can be creating one-of-a-kind masterpieces.

The Stock

The foundation of a good soup is the stock or broth. As you go about meal prep, keep an eye on stock ingredients. A heavy duty freezer bag works as a catch-all. Keep one for vegetables like onions, carrots, celery, peppers, cabbage. Keep another for poultry like wings, giblets necks, backs, or whole carcass. And another for beef bones, etc. Don’t leave out lobster and shrimp shells for bisque or chowder.

When I worked under a master chef, I saw just how far the art of soup making can be taken. The soup and salad bar depends on frugal prep. There was always a stockpot on the back burner started off with 2 gallons of water. The prep cook would take all the peelings from vegetable prep and put them into a cheesecloth sack tied with a string. Did you know that onion skins will naturally darken a broth? Many vegetable nutrients and flavor are contained in and just under the skin like potatoes.

Any meat scraps and bones are added to the simmering stockpot. Marrow will dissolve and deeply flavor the stock. Not so tender meats will soften after a couple hours of simmering. Fish, chicken or turkey carcasses can be put into cheesecloth to keep all the small bones together.

After at least 2 hours of simmering, strain the contents of pot into another. To keep broth low fat, once it has cooled refrigerate it. Fat is lighter than water so it floats to the top and solidifies. It can be taken right off the top. Discard the vegetable scraps. Pick the bones for meat. Set aside.

Boiled dinner also yields an excellent stock for a soup base. Stock can be frozen for later use.

The Ingredients

The basic beginner ingredients are onion, carrots, celery. Dice and add to saute pan with a tiny bit of oil. Stir just until onion begins to turn translucent. Add to stock.

Now it’s time to build. Additional vegetables can be added. Pasta, potatoes, rice, egg noodles, broken spaghetti, or tortellini can be used. Canned, dried peas or beans are excellent ingredients. The set aside meat from the bones, leftover roast, diced bacon, sliced sausage all add to the soup.

To make the soup thicker as a stew, make a roux and stir it in. Instant potato also works as does bread crumbs. Any leftover gravy can be added.

Add spices. Salt and pepper to taste. Basil, thyme, parsley, bay leaf are nice touches. Soy sauce, Worcestershire sauce add uniqueness. Red pepper flakes or hot sauce will add a kick. 

Have fun creating. There is no wrong soup.