Soup making - explain it to me like i'm 5

[IneedhandcreamandaNC]

In order to avoid any smacked gobs or judgement, I'll preface this by saying people learn things at different times and we all have different levels of confidence! And, of course, not everyone grows up in an environment where learning life skills is encouraged.

Now that's oot the way! - tell me the basics of making soup please? People say they chuck in any old thing but there is presumably a base or a range of bases to which any old thing is added. How is the base made? And how do you know the flavours and textures of the any old things will work out okay? Would someone kindly explain it to me with no presumption of cooking knowledge 😳oh and seasoning! I forgot about seasoning. See, I need it explained to me like I'm 5 years old 😂

https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/lentil-bacon-soup
This is delicious and quite easy

Really good soup recipe book carbsandcals.com/videos/soups-recipe-book/

Some good advice on here about how to start with fried onion/ leek etc base. But you don't have to. It can be as easy as boiling veg in stock (the best cubes at supermarket or veg bouillon powder, diluted according to instructions on packet) and then blending. Without the fried base you will get a lighter, fresher flavour. If you are thinking of throwing the veg away anyhow, there's no harm in experimenting with flavour combinations. The things to think about are:

• the order to add veg to the simmering stock. Some take longer to cook and you want to avoid over cooking anything. A quick look online should tell you cooking times for each
• don't add more water than will cover the veg. You can easily dilute with boiling water at the blending stage if it tastes too strong, but you can't strengthen (reduce) watery soup without cooking the veg for too long
• seasoning is easy if you leave it until after you've blended and add just a bit of salt and pepper at a time and taste as you go

This is a brilliant recipe, so easy and tasty, though I add one teaspoon of chilli powder to the stock about half way through. You just simmer things one after the other for 15 mins with cheese giving you the extra depth of flavour:
https://www.bbcgoodfood.com/recipes/courgette-potato-cheddar-soup

keep it simple rather than Loads of different stuff in one soup

so a base (gently fry onion ,with celery and carrot optional )
add a protein say lentils, beans , left over meat , milk ( instead of the stock) , or cheese added later

and the veg -
Frozen sweetcorn goes well with cheese
mushrooms with milk, asparagus too
lentil with carrot or tomatos ( tinned works )
leek and potatoe with chicken or ham

liquid - plain water, stock cube , Or that milk

boil up, blend

you can add an extra flavour if you want - I add lots of pepper to mushroom soup and corriander is common on carrot soups , a splash of milk or cream at the end can also lift a lot of soups - if it doesn’t taste great try that

soup is very forgiving and there is no right or wrong

Yes - sorry the 500g is meant to be potatoes!🥴

It’s not fresh if it’s in a carton with preservatives, as it’s in the chilled section like all the other UPF ready meals.

key thing with L&P soup is don’t over blend the potatoes or they go gluey. Or tinned butterbeans work brilliantly as a substitute - different flavour but nice for variety and good for protein.

I start with onions and garlic, then add protein (meat or poultry or beans or tofu) + carb (potato or pasta or lentils) + vegetables (whatever I have) + seasonings (generic European, or Indian, or Mexican - whatever).

Almost all soups can be helped with some acid (lemon juice, vinegar, lime juice, pomegranate molasses etc) and fresh herbs.

Yes agree lemon juice is great in most soups. It's only recently I've been adding lemon juice to things like curries as well and it's brilliant.

@HiRen & @Quirkswork is there any guideline as to when acid will enhance something or is it trial & error?

@IneedhandcreamandaNC
See, I need it explained to me like I'm 5 years old 😂

Now darling, soup is very hot and needs stirring, and you can't be standing right next to the stove until you're taller and your hands are steadier. Lets start off by tearing up some lettuce for salad and mixing a lovely dressing, and we'll start you on soup when you're a bit bigger.

Whooooooa. What's a dressing? 😉

Just put a bit in at the end. Of any soup really. Not too much though..steady as you go.

I think there's some potential trouble if you add lemon juice and you're also using reduced fat cream or yoghurt. Sometimes it curdles and I think you need full fat or double cream to stop that. Someone else might know the technicalities on that.

Try it out and see what you think! Taste your soup. Then load another spoonful and add a drop or two of lime juice (say) and taste again. Try it with different sources of “sour”, or go with a general rule of thumb: ingredients you’d find in Italian food? Balsamic vinegar (or glaze if you like). Mexican ingredients like avocado or corn or chipotle? Lime juice. Generic European ingredients (but not too much dairy!)? Lemon juice. Indian? Dried mango powder/amchoor. Middle eastern? Pomegranate molasses.

Or, just do whatever you think tastes good! There are no rules, just what you like and don’t like. 90% of home cooking is trial and error and doing the same things again and again with variations.

in five years not once did she make soup, I suspect making good soup is difficult

Alternative explanation: making good soup is so easy that the private chef might have felt she was slacking off if she served you soup!

does this mean in a frying pan? then add them to the soup pot? or can i do this IN the soup pot? do i add oil to fry them?

All in the soup pot.