July 4, 2003

• Simplifying Making Soup

  
  When I was young, making soup was a project. I would accumulate bones in bags in the freezer for months. When I had enough, I would boil them, often in multiple pots, for up to five days, until they were reduced to a milky liquid, after straining, and a pile of grit that no longer resembled bones. I would use the liquid as the base for a series of soups, adding meats and vegetables each day. The last day I would add turnips or parsnips, after which you can't store the remainder because it becomes too bitter to use. Later I got a pressure cooker and reduced my boiling of bones to a single day. I also stopped adding ingredients after the initial batch, keeping the soup for two or three days instead of a week.
  
  I have either become more efficient or have gotten a whole lot lazier. I now make my limited edition soup in under two hours. I start by boiling my meat (yesterday it was eight chicken wings) with a small amount of grain.
  
  I don't believe in stripping my meat of all its natural fat. The fat carries a number of nutrients as well as a good portion of the flavor. However, the meat and its accompanying fat and bones should be marinated. A marinade is any combination of an oil and an acid. For some unknown reason, this combination works enzymatic magic on connective tissue to tenderize and break it down while making it more flavorful. The acid also helps extract calcium from any bones that are present. I usually use extra virgin olive oil or a nut oil and a sweet vinegar, roughly a tablespoonful of each. I don't measure.
  
  At the same time I start the meat, I throw in a couple of tablespoons of grain: barley or rice, or both, but you don't want very much. It's there mostly to thicken the soup. If you want to add some flavor to the soup, gently fry the grain until it starts to turn brown before adding it to the nearly boiling water. Add it slowly; it will sizzle and may spray hot liquid. You can also add a few beans if that appeals to you. Just don't add too many. A tablespoon is about right.
  
  Let the meat and grain simmer up to an hour. Add a finely sliced celery stalk if you want a bit of saltiness, a finely sliced or grated carrot for sweetness, if you want. I add a large coarsely chopped onion, a pinch of cayenne pepper and some anise seeds. Let it cook another half hour or so, until the onion is soft and sweet. Chopped, peeled tomatoes or sliced mushrooms can be added near the end. I don't use salt but if you must use it, add it at the end, just before serving.

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