A great soup needs a firm foundation
Soups can be an appetizer or the main course, but they all begin with a great soup starter. And different flavor combinations (that reflect your taste and preferences) can make soup starters special.
The classic mirepoix, for example, is my go-to, combining onions, carrots and celery. Soffritto’s Italian flair comes from replacing the carrots with garlic, peppers and tomatoes. And if you’re looking for Cajun and Creole flavors, onions, celery and green bell pepper are the holy trinity of that style of cooking.
All three combinations include both onions and celery, and it’s important to understand exactly how they are used in each of the three starters. Different varieties of celery and onion have different tastes, and which parts of these vegetables you use make a difference in the soup’s final flavor.
Onion flavors and aromas range from mild to strong and colors include white, yellow, red and green. Soups benefit from a more robust onion so the classic yellow onion is my choice. They hold up well when cooked and offer a little sweetness to balance the sharpness.
Red onions are nice since they bring some color to the dish and white onions are a good choice for a milder sweeter onion flavor.
Meanwhile, green onions and scallions are probably best as garnishes for soup.
They are simply the immature shoots of onions, the only visible difference being their base at the end of long, straight greens. Green onions show the beginning of a bulb formation, while true scallions (from a particular variety of white onions) are harvested while the sides of the base are straight. Aficionados contend that although the two are interchangeable in recipes, scallions are sweeter and milder in flavor.
Chives are an edible herb in the onion family. The thin, green, hollow stems are delicate and mild tasting – perfect to chop and use for garnishing or blending into cream cheese or compound butters.
Mild-tasting celery stalks and celery root are grown from different varieties of celery. Celery is made up of individual leaved ribs surrounded by the tender inner ribs or heart.
I strategically use the outer ribs and leaves for soups where they can cook for an extended period of time to become tender and impart more flavor. The inner ribs are saved for my charcuterie boards and the inner leaves are chopped to garnish the soup.
Celery root, also known as celery knob or celeriac, is generally harvested when two to four inches in diameter, since larger ones tend to be tough – even for soup making.
Choose only those that are firm and show no signs of cracking. The pronounced celery-parsley flavor of celery root is enjoyed raw or when added to soups and stews. It may also be sliced and sauteed, baked or braised.
The Orinda Farmers’ Market is open every Saturday from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. on Orinda Way in Orinda Village. More information is available at cccfm.org Facebook.com/OrindaFarmersMarket and Instagram @OrindaFarmersMarket or call the market hotline at 925.322.6228.
Fall is Calling Vegetable Soup
3 tablespoons olive oil
2 cups chopped carrots
1 cup chopped onion
½ cup chopped celery
2 tablespoons finely grated ginger root or 1 teaspoon ground ginger
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
¼ cup long grain brown rice
Salt and pepper to taste
Add oil to a large saucepan. Add carrots, onion, celery and ginger root. Cook over medium heat for 5 or 6 minutes, stirring occasionally, until onion is softened. Add stock, rice, salt and pepper. Bring to a boil then reduce heat to medium low. Simmer and cover for about 45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until rice is tender. Remove from heat and carefully blend until smooth. Garnish with sliced green onion or chives.
Makes 4–5 cups.
Build flavor from the ground up with the holy trinity of soup starters - onions, celery and carrots - for a vibrant vegetable soup. And what better way than to start by buying your carrots from Orinda’s Farmers’ Market at J&M Ibarra Farms’ table.
