STOCK, SOUPS AND SAUCES.

STOCKS

A liquid that form the foundation of soups and sauces and is obtained by
simmering various combinations of bones ,vegetables and herbs to extract
their flavour
Is a liquid used in making stews, sauces, soups and gravies.
Is a liquid base that used in preparation of many dishes.

Elements of a stock
 Nourishing elements
 Mirepoix
 Bouquet garni
 Liquid

NOURISHING ELEMENTS

 Provides flavour,nutrients,colour and body

 It includes bones,shells,vegetables

MIREPOIX

It is a combination of coarsely chopped vegetables that is used in stock

preparation to add flavour ,nutrients and colour eg carrots,onions,celery
BOUQUET GARNI

A Combination of fresh/dried herbs, as thyme, parsley, bay leaf etc., used for
flavoring stocks.

LIQUID
It is always inform of water

Types of stock.

A. white stock

B.brown stock
 White stock:

 Are made from beef, mutton, veal, chicken can be used in white soups,
sauces, stews.
 no browning used to make white sauces.
 It is usually colourless.

Methods of white stock except for fish stock:

 Chop the bones remove any fat or marrow.

 Place in a stock pot add the cold water and bring to the boil

 If the scum is dirty then blanch and wash of the bones cover again with cold
water and reboil.

 Skim wipe around sides of the pot and simmer gently.

 Add the washed peeled whole vegetables bouquet garni and pepper corns.

 Simmer 6-8hrs skim and strain.

BROWN STOCK

It is made from either beef, veal, chicken that is roasted in hot oven
without water.

Method of brown stock

 Chop the bones and brown them by either .roasting tin in an oven or in a little
fat in a frying pan.

 Drain off any fat and place the bones in a stock pot.

 Brown all sediment that may be in the tray and deglaze with ½ litter of boiling
water, simmer for few minutes and add to the bones.

 Add the cold water bring to the boil and skim

 Fry roughly cut vegetables in a little fat until browned strain and add to the bones

 Add the bouquet garni and peppercorns.

 Simmer 6-8 hrs.

 Skim and strain

Rules for making stock.

 Use a clean stock pot.

 Use fresh ingredients of good quality in correct amount. Unsound meat or bones
and delaying vegetables will give stock an unpleasant flavor and cause it to
deteriorate quickly.

 Break the bones small so that the maximum amount of flavour can be extracted
and imparted to the stock.

 Remove fat and scum as it rises to the service if not skimmed regularly the
stock will become cloudy and dirty fat made stock tastes greasy.

 After it has come to the boil it should be around to simmer gently, when boiled
to quickly it becomes cloudy and excess evaporation takes place.

 Keep stock simmering continuously especially in a hot season as otherwise it

may turn sour.

 Salt must not be added when making stock because it will unbalance the
seasoning of the dish with which it will be used.

 Make stock for recommended time, strain and cool the stock and quickly as
possible and store it in a cool place if not needed immediately for use.

 Do not store the stock for more than three days in a refrigerator as stock is one
of the medium for the growth of bacteria.

Nb the fat skimmed may be clarified for use as dripping.

SAUCES.

 Is a flavored thickened liquid served with food to add more flavour ,colour,
texture and eye appeal to food
 Is a liquid accompaniment which goes with the dish and has been thickened
by one or a combination of thickening agents.
BASIC INGREDIENTS OF SAUCES
 Thickening Agent
 Seasoning and flavoring
 Liquid
Thickening agent
They are used to thicken sauces
Thickeners include flour,cornstarch,instant starches,vegetable puree etc
Seasonings and flavourings
They are used to enhance the flavour of a sauce eg salt,pepper,herbs and
spices
Liquid
Serves as the base of a sauce
It is mostly the stock
The flavour of the stock should match the flavour of food you plan to serve

Consistency of sauces:

1. A coating sauce.at boiling point it must coat back of a wooden spoon and only
just settle to its own level in the sauce pan.

2. Pouring sauce.at boiling point it must coat the back of a spoon easily and must
be kept covered with wet grease proof paper to prevent skin forming.

General consideration in sauce making:

a. Blend Ingredients Quickly .Mix Ingredients Well.
b. Season Well.
c. The Sauce Should Suit The Intended Dish.
d. The Distinctive Flavour Of Food Should Be Preserved, It Should Not Be Floury.
e. It Should Stick To The Back Of A Spoon
f. It Should Not Break Apart When It Cools Down
g. It Should Not Have Lumps
 The role of a sauce (uses of a sauce in cookery)

 To enhance flavour :it adds flavour to a dull or flat dish or new flavors to a dish
e.g. boiled potatoes in groundnut sauce

 Gives colour: adds colour to a dish that look dull e.g. macaroni in cheese sauce.

 Improve texture and appearance of certain food: i.e. moisten dry foods e.g.
pieces of sweet potatoes served in soya sauce.

 Help in digestion :i.e. aid digestion e.g. apple sauce

 Counteract the strong smell and flavors of some dish e.g. fish and parsley sauce.

 Gives a balanced diet.

 Lend a name to dish e.g. fish Mornay, fish Portuguese.

 Bid food together.

Classification of sauces (categories).

1. Basic sauces

These are sauces from which many other sauces are derived and as the
quality of derived sauce depend on great extent of the quality on the basic
sauces strict extent should be paid to their preparation.

2. Sauce based on demi glaze (thickened gravy).

This sections includes all the small brown sauces which have either demi-
glace as a base and are finished with additional flavorings and garnishes.

3. Sauces based on béchamel and veloutes.

This section includes all the white and blond sauces which have either
béchamel or veloute as a base and are finished with additional flavorings and
garnishes.

4. Egg and butter sauce.

 This section includes all the sauces made by a process of emulsifying yolks
of eggs and butter.

5. Fish sauces.

This section comprises of those sauces which are specifically served with
fish.

6. Cold sauces.

Comprises of sauce mayonnaise and its derivatives and other cold sauces
mainly in English in origin.

7.Miscellaneous sauces (clarified sauces)

Includes all the sauces which do not come under the previous classification
mainly because of individuality of their colour and flavour e.g. all sweet sauces
like apple sauces and jam sauce.

Nb.

Basic recipes for sweet sauces pouring sauce thickened with corn flour, arrow
roots, custard powered etc..

SOUPS.

Are wholesome and nutritious food made from meat, sea food, vegetables, cereals.

-soup is the second course in a French classical menu though in many meals it’s
the first course.

qualities of a good soups.

-soups should be of a delicate flavour.

-soups should be of a clean natural colour.

-thick soups should not be too heavy in texture.

Classification of soups.

Soups can be classified into two categories.

  Clear soups.
 Thick soups.

They can be cold or hot.

Nb two soups are normally offered on a table dhote dinner one clear soup
(consommé) and one thick (cream, veloute, puree) only one is served with each
meal.

-clear soups are listed on the menu first

Types of Soup

1. Clear soups (thin soup)

They are clear, richly flavored and aromatic.
They include:

-consommé and bouillons.

These soups are prepared from stock flavored with various meats; poultry, game or
fish with vegetables (finely diced or chopped carrots. Onion or celery).herbs
seasoning and egg whites

-consommé are clarified and should be crystal clear when finished they may be
served plain or with garnish.

-bouillons are carefully cooked without being clarified and can be served plain or
with garnish.

Nb the protein in the egg white and meat coagulated and bind most of the cloudy
material. The soup is strained through a muslin cloth.

-chilled consommés included those are jellied by the natural gelatin in the meat
stock e.g. consommé madrilène.

Special points of consommé.

The clarification process is caused by the albumen of egg white and meat
coagulating, rising to the top liquid and carrying other solid ingredients. The
remaining liquid beneath the coagulated surface should be gently simmering.
-it is important that the egg whites are well broken down with the water so that
they can be broken down with the water so that they can be completely dispersed
through the mixture failure to do this may result in imperfect clarification.

-the stock used may be added either hot or cold.

-the use of hot stock serve to speed up the clarification process and there is less
risk of the egg whites and blood setting to the bottom of the pot and
discolouring.this will spoil the flavour of the consommé.

Causes of cloudiness in consommé.

 Poor quality stock.

 Greasy stock

 unstrained stock

 Imperfect coagulation of the clearing agents (stale egg i.e. clearing agent).

 Any traces of grease or starch.

 Lack of cleanliness of the pan or cloth.

 Not allowing soup to settle before straining.

 Whisking after boiling point is reached where by the impurities mix with the
liquids.

2. Thick soups.

-Unpassed soups –includes potage, broth, .

These soups are prepared from vegetables cut in varying shapes cooked in stocks.
Sometimes with the addition of cereals and pieces of meat or poultry or cereals.

-passed soups.

A.puree based: puree pulps of vegetables like carrots, peas, tomatoes, potatoes etc.

Puree based soups are made from fresh or dried vegetables cooked with stock and
sometimes with the addition of meat poultry or cereals.
-the ingredients acts as the sore thickening agents. Starch vegetables like potatoes
as self-thickening agents while others need an additional thickening agents e.g. are
tomato puree etc.

Ungarnished soups of this type should be served with croutons as an

accompaniment.

-puree based soups are better designate potage (when included in the menu).

-when finished with cream it is in order to designate them as cream.

B.Veloutes.

These soups are prepared from a base of roux diluted with appropriate stock and
cooked with the addition of blanched vegetables, meat, poultry, game and fish.
They are passed finished with a reaction of egg yolks and creams as it enhances the
taste texture e.g. are chicken veloute celery veloute.

C.Cream (crème)

These soups must be of a smooth consistency and it is essential that they are
finished with cream.

d.bisques.

Are made specifically from raw shellfish vegetables fish stock wine herbs for
flavour and seasonings.

Thickened with rice passed and finished with wine and cream e.g. lobster soups,
Cray fish bisques.

e.chowders.

These are heavy thick soups their bases are tomatoes milk with sea food potatoes
onions pieces of bacon and various seasonings for flavour.

E.g. is clam chowder, oyster chowder.

F.brown soups.

Are mainly of English origin and are prepared from a roux diluted with stock and
cooked with additional vegetables and meat.
Are garnished eg.kidney soup, mulligatawny soup, mock turtle soup, thick oxtail
soup, Are the above soups are light reddish brown.

Soups garnishes.

Garnishes are important aspect of soup preparation.

A garnish enhances flavour color and wholesomeness it is put a soup just before
service.

Garnishes.

1-cereals

Boiled rices e.g. with mulligatawny soup.

2-croutons

Dices or other even shaped breads or toast e.g. with cream of tomatoes soup.

3-cheese

Grated paysanny cheese grilled on croutons e.g. French onion soup cottage cheese
diced e.g. consommé cream unsweetened whipped cream or sour cream e.g. cream
of mushrooms cream of tomato soup meat poultry sea food. Diced into small
pieces of juliennes e.g. cream of chicken soup lobsters soup.

4-pasta.

Noodles, spaghetti eg with minestrone soup.

5-vegetables

Cut in various shapes and sizes such as juliennes round dices etc.

Tips for service of soups.

 Garnish must be small light and easily eatable.

 Light soups should precede heavy dishes

 Heavy soups must come in small portions.

 Hot soups must be served very hot and cold soups chilled.

 Clear soups must enable you to see the bottom of soup bowl.

 Soup accompaniments are toast, bread steaks cheese croutons etc. these must be
hot and crisp.