Soup Is Good

Soup is one of the most surprisingly avoided dishes I have run across. In case you were not aware, here are some soup facts:

1. It is easy
2. It can be very fast
3. There are probably at least a dozen different things in your cupboard right now that could be used to make a delicious soup
4. It is inexpensive
   
5. It is easy to make soup for 2-12
6. It makes great leftovers
7. There is no need to make your own stock
8. It can be hot or cold, it's all good
9. It gets better over time
   

Here is the basic process for making soup.

Liquid + Flavor + Filler

Simple, huh?

If you take boiling water, add some miso and throw in some tofu cubes, you have a passable bowl of miso soup, all in about the time it takes to boil water.

Let's have a brief discussion of each of these

Liquid
Most often this is a stock of some kind. Chicken, beef, vegetable, pork, veal, fish, etc. Water can be used, but most often it is one of these stocks. They all bring a wonderful flavor that doesn't overwhelm the other ingredients. The liquid should bring something to the party, but no single thing should take over the taste of the soup. A soup is a balancing act, and the liquid is no exception. You can also use a blend of liquids, including: wine, beer, whipping cream, vinegar, lemon juice.

Flavor
Flavors can be added in a variety of ways, here are some examples.

1. Aromatics - Onion, Celery, Carrot, Garlic, Shallots, Peppers, Leeks, Turnips, Parsnips, Ginger
2. Flavor Concentrates - Bouillon, Miso, Tomato Paste
3. Herbs - Bay, Basic, Tarragon, Sage, Rosemary, Pepper, Fennel, Cilantro, Mustard Powder, Chili Powder, Turmeric
   

These flavors are also usually added in different ways. Aromatics are usually cooked over medium-high heat in oil as the first step. Just about any oil would do here. Flavor concentrates get added after the liquid gets added.

Powdered herbs are added whenever. They can be toasted as the first step, they can be added with the aromatics, they can be added when the liquid is added. They can even be added at the very end. Fresh herbs should be added toward the end of cooking because they are delicate and their flavorful oils can be destroyed be heat and long cooking. Bay leaves are a popular addition that work a bit differently than most others. They are added with the liquid and removed either at the end of cooking, or when the soup tastes "bay-like" enough.

Filler
This is the good stuff. Here are some examples:

• Meat - Beef, chicken, fish, shrimp, lamb,
  
• Vegetables - Name it
• Beans - Name it
• Pasta - Penne, tubeli, ditili, anellini, conchigliette, cous cous, orzo (just about any kind of pasta except the long thin ones.)
• Dairy - Parmesan, Cheddar

Process
So, here is the basic process.

1. Cook the aromatics in oil (This includes the always delicious rendered bacon or sausage fat)
   
2. Add the liquid
3. Bring to a simmer
4. Add the flavoring and wait until it tastes good
   
5. Add the filler and wait until it is cooked/sufficiently warm
   
6. Eat
   

This is all a decent pot of soup requires and it can take as little as half an hour. It can also be made and left on the stove for hours simmering (it may be best to leave anything that gets mush with long cooking until you are nearly ready to eat.)

Here are some simple recipes to try. You will notice that I don't specify quantities for anything. The reason is...it mostly doesn't matter. Here is how the measuring should take place.

Use as much liquid as you want to make soup.
Taste the soup often as you add flavorings. If you are leaving flavorings in the soup as you cook, taste it every 5-10 minutes and remove them when it tastes how you want it to.
The more filler you add, the more it changes from being soup like to chowder or stew like. Add until it's the consistency you like.

There really aren't "wrong" answers here, you just make it how you want it.

Miso Soup
Liquid: Dashi (easist stock to make, but the ingredients aren't all that common) or water
Flavorings: Miso Paste (Any kind at all, red, white, other...)
Filler: Wakame (optional, it's the green seaweed you usually find in miso), Soba noodles, mushrooms, tofu and scallions.

Chicken Noodle Soup
Liquid: Chicken Stock
Flavorings: Onion, carrot and garlic cooked in bacon-fat (about four sliced worth) Remove the bacon before you add the liquid and add it back in the serving bowl as a garnish. Add the carrot first, then the onion, then the garlic last because it burns the easiest. This whole process should take about five minutes or so. Add salt and pepper to taste. Add a bay leaf or two if you like.
Filler: White Beans, Penne, Chunks of Chicken and some frozen corn

Corn Chowder
Liquid: Chicken Stock
Flavorings: Garlic, onion, carrot, turmeric, salt, pepper, thyme, bay
Filler: Corn, potatos, cheddar cheese (at the very end, only cook for 5-10 minutes)