As winter and colder temps approach, soups and stews seem to be on everybody's minds - and tables. Did you know, our brains naturally connect soups with the concepts of physical and social safety?
Studies suggest that by eating a hot bowl of soup, you will likely have an instant boost of positive feelings. Let's make fantastic soup with simple recipes using wholesome, fresh ingredients crafted to enhance flavour.
EVOO for Enhanced Flavour
Single varietal, high quality EVOO adds rich, savoury, peppery, or even sweet/fruity attributes to soups and stews. It actually amplifies the other flavours in the dish by harmonizing spices, balancing acidity and boosting richness. Especially with a touch of sea salt, EVOO makes the taste of food luscious, full-bodied and satisfying.
Try staff member Brette's amazing Slow Cooker Beef Stew to experience how a Robust EVOO balances and intensifies all the rich flavours!
EVOO in a RouxYes, you can! EVOO works well in a roux using the same ratio of butter to flour (or even a little less). Butter is a common choice to start thick sauces or soups, but some cuisines actually prefer oils. A high quality EVOO brings flavour, a safe smoke point, and a heart-healthy fat to your dish. Remember to cook your roux until the flour is thoroughly toasted to avoid any bitterness or notes of uncooked flour. Try this method in our Turkey Gumbo, tested in our Louisiana Cooking Class.
Vinegar in Soup
A vinegar's acidity contrasts a soup's richer ingredients. If your soup features cream, starchy vegetables, rice, lentils, proteins, beans, and more, you'll need a hit of acidity to brighten the overall profile. Otherwise, it'll be dull and heavy.
Our Balsamic Vinegars have a lower acidity than grocery store brands and impart unique flavour attributes. Pair our fun flavours with an endless variety of soups for delicious results, perfectly balanced in taste in every bowl.
Try it in our Zesty Sweet Potato & Chicken Soup. Yum!
Vinegar to Deglaze
When you finish sauteeing your aromatics or other veggies for soups, consider deglazing. Deglazing is simply adding a liquid to a hot pan to loosens the browned bits of caramelized food - they are full of flavours! Vinegar is the perfect substitution for wine and spirits when crafting soups and stews. We find that when deglazing with vinegar, you infuse your recipe with even more flavour than wine.
Try it out in our Tandoori Spiced Carrot & Tahini Soup.
