Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 2 (9 page)

1)
The velouté base

1 cup sliced leeks and/or onions

4 Tb butter

3 Tb flour

6 cups liquid (hot water, or part hot water and part milk)

2 tsp salt

Pinch white pepper

Following the Master Recipe for mushroom soup, cook the onions in the butter until tender, stir in the flour and cook 1 minute, blend in the liquid, then simmer slowly while preparing the vegetables.

2)
The vegetables—finishing the soup

A 6- to 7-inch head of cauliflower (1¼ to 1½ lbs.)

A large pan of boiling salted water

1 bunch watercress (about 2 packed cups)

⅓ to ½ cup or more heavy cream

2 to 4 Tb soft butter

Break cauliflower into flowerettes and peel central stem; retain any tender leaves. Drop flowerettes and stem (not leaves) into the boiling water, bring rapidly back to the boil; boil uncovered for 2 minutes. Drain, add to soup base, and simmer 15 minutes. Meanwhile, discard any wilted leaves and stems from watercress, wash cress and chop roughly. After cauliflower has simmered 15 minutes, add the cress and reserved cauliflower leaves. Simmer 10 minutes more; purée. Add the cream, and correct seasoning. Reheat only just before serving, to preserve the watercress green, then remove from heat and stir in the butter enrichment.

Potage Crème aux Oignons, Soubise

[Cream of
Onion Soup]

This is a soup for onion lovers, and a pleasant change from the usual brown onion soup. The little touch of curry and a bit of wine give it special flavor, while the addition of rice turns it into a
soubise
.

1)
The onion-velouté soup base

3 to 4 cups sliced onions

4 Tb butter

1 tsp curry powder

2 Tb flour

2 cups hot water

2 cups chicken stock or canned chicken broth

½ cup dry white wine or ⅓ cup dry white French vermouth

⅓ cup plain white rice

1 bay leaf

Salt and white pepper to taste

Following the Master Recipe for mushroom soup, cook the onions in the butter until tender but not browned. Add curry and cook 1 minute more, then add flour and cook 2 minutes without browning. Remove from heat, beat in the hot water, then the chicken stock and the wine. Bring to simmer and sprinkle in the rice; add bay leaf, and season to taste. Simmer 30 minutes. Purée.

2)
Finishing the soup

2 to 3 cups milk

⅓ to ½ cup or more heavy cream

2 to 4 Tb soft butter

2 to 3 Tb fresh minced chervil or parsley

Bring soup to the simmer. Thin out to desired consistency with milk, stir in the cream, and carefully correct seasoning. Reheat again to simmer just before
serving; remove from heat and stir in the butter, then the herbs.

A POTATO-BASED SOUP

POTAGE CÉLESTINE

[Celery Soup with Potatoes, Leeks, and Rice]

This is leek and potato soup with a celery twist, and is equally good hot or cold.

For about 8 cups, serving 6 people

1)
The leeks and celery

The white part of 2 medium leeks, sliced; or 1¼ cups sliced onions

3 cups sliced celery stalks

¼ tsp salt

3 Tb butter

A heavy-bottomed 3-quart stainless or enameled saucepan with cover

4 cups light chicken stock, or canned chicken broth and water

⅓ cup plain white rice

Cook the vegetables slowly with the salt and butter in the covered saucepan until tender but not browned—about 10 minutes. Add the liquid, bring to the boil, stir in the rice, and simmer uncovered for 25 minutes.

2)
The potatoes

3 or 4 medium baking potatoes, peeled and chopped (about 3 cups)

2 cups water

½ tsp salt

Another heavy 3-quart saucepan

A food mill with medium disk, a potato ricer, or an electric blender

2 cups milk heated in a small pan

A wire whip and a wooden spoon

Meanwhile, boil the potatoes with the water and salt. When tender, drain their cooking water into the leeks and celery. If you are using a food mill or ricer, purée the potatoes, return to saucepan, and beat in the milk to make a smooth, white cream. If you are using a blender, purée the potatoes with a cup of the milk, pour into saucepan, and beat in the rest of the milk.

3)
Finishing the soup—herb-butter and croûton garnish

⅛ teaspoon sugar (to bring out the flavor)

Salt and white pepper

Purée the leek and
celery mixture with its liquid into the potato cream. Blend well with wire whip and bring to the simmer; beat in sugar and seasonings to taste.

(*) Set aside uncovered until shortly before serving.