Viva velouté
Creamy soups are a regular part of many winter meals, and so they should be.
Thick, velvety, and full of flavour, creamy soups make a filling starter, or a full meal.
They can be a traditional cream soup, made using a thin béchamel, and finished by adding cream, or a velouté style.
Classic velouté soups include chicken, mushroom, and fish. The latter differs from traditional chowder because it is thickened with a roux, while chowder thickens naturally because of the ingredients used.
Velouté involves thickening with a roux (50 percent flour and 50 percent butter). Sautee and sweat the vegetables then add the flour to make a white roux, add hot stock and simmer to cook out the starch. Strain the soup and finish as desired. Alternatively the velouté can be created first and added hot to the meat and vegetable mix.
A roux is used to create sauces, gravies, and thicken soups, and other liquid dishes.
It is a combination of equal parts flour and fat, the most common being butter (or meat drippings).
Easy steps to a thick, creamy soup
- Create your roux with equal parts flour and butter, cook in a saucepan
- Add your vegetable or primary ingredient along with the roux
- Cook roux until you reach the desired colour
- Slowly add stock to incorporate the roux
- Heat to thicken; season and serve
