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Pub/hotel soup

2

Comments

  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 27,027 ✭✭✭✭breezy1985


    Faith wrote: »
    YES! It's the eternal question. It tastes so good, and those little bread rolls are the stuff dreams are made of.

    My husband worked in hotels donkeys years ago and I think he said there is a LOT of potato in the soup, so it's closer to potato soup than vegetable.

    Yep lots of potato lots of cream and the best chef I worked with used put some bell peppers in too just enough to give a tiny hint of the flavour


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,890 ✭✭✭CelticRambler


    Rice cooker ensures perfect rice every time. A pot and a timer won't.

    A pot, a timer and a fork will. :pac:


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 2,613 Mod ✭✭✭✭Mystery Egg


    There's another pot of this deliciousness on the go right now. Gonna head out in that autumn sunshine shortly to get some bakery bread for a delicious sandwich to go with it. :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 7,767 ✭✭✭Pinch Flat


    Made a lovely carrot soup during the week. few onions, ginger, bit of coriander. Threw in the carrots and a chicken stock cube. Hand blender, into a bowl. Gorgeous. missed a bit of cream and a crusty roll - next time!.


  • Registered Users Posts: 925 ✭✭✭angel eyes 2012


    How long would you keep your standard vegetable soup in the fridge for, a couple of days?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,996 ✭✭✭✭Spanish Eyes


    Carrots are sweet. So minimal inclusion is the way to go!

    Spuds cubed, onions, cauli, broccoli and a little carrot lol. Then add the seasoning, Worcester Sauce is brilliant for this together with the lazy garlic and onion, and whatever else floats your boat. Blend and serve yum.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 15,996 ✭✭✭✭Spanish Eyes


    How long would you keep your standard vegetable soup in the fridge for, a couple of days?

    Bottom of fridge covered at least a week. Never killed us yet :P


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29 alig1234


    I think the secret to a Hotel soup is to make what the French call a veloute (velvet texture soup). Fry veg in butter _ don't use oil. Add potato's or some drained chickpeas or red lentils to thick if required. Then add 2 tbsps flour to the veg (roux) thenadd some water some stock and simmer for half an hour. When veg soft blend and add some cream and heat gently (don't boil it) and you will have a thick creamy delicious hotel type soup. Veloute soups work great with any veg though a broccoli soup is fab with walnuts or almonds scattered in at end.


  • Registered Users Posts: 283 ✭✭pockets3d


    Oh garcon! What is the soup of the day?

    Yesterday's veg and mash.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 798 ✭✭✭Yyhhuuu


    Thanks so much for the tips. I really enjoy cooking my own vegetable soup with potatoe. It's so much better than those bought soups with so many additives and salt. I use reduced to clear veg and each portion/ serving of soup usually only costs me about 10c so delicious nutritious and cheap.

    I'm afraid I'm a novice at this. I have ginger I bought reduced for 20c in the fridge a few weeks ago. I wonder what this might go with?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,149 ✭✭✭✭the beer revolu


    Ginger will pair well with any root vegetable.
    Carrot, turnip, butternut squash, parsnip etc.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,740 ✭✭✭Foweva Awone


    Where I worked, we used to use
    - Potatoes
    - Leeks
    - Onions
    - Carrots
    - Veg boullion

    Just boil it all up and cook until the veg got soft. Blend and add cream just before serving.

    Very very simple, but it was known for being the best soup in town!!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 948 ✭✭✭Unknownability


    Where I worked, we used to use
    - Potatoes
    - Leeks
    - Onions
    - Carrots
    - Veg boullion

    Just boil it all up and cook until the veg got soft. Blend and add cream just before serving.

    Very very simple, but it was known for being the best soup in town!!

    I always get the consistency wrong either too watery or too thick.

    Has anyone a tip for getting that correct?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 21,487 ✭✭✭✭Alun


    I always get the consistency wrong either too watery or too thick.

    Has anyone a tip for getting that correct?

    Remember, you can always add extra water at the end if it's too thick, you can't take it out :)

    If I'm cooking any kind of vegetable soup I just make sure the water is only about an inch above the top of the vegetables. If it looks like it might start getting a bit too thick during cooking you can always add a little more.

    If it's still too thick after you've blended it, just add a little more water, stir it in until it's just right.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 1,740 ✭✭✭Foweva Awone


    I always get the consistency wrong either too watery or too thick.

    Has anyone a tip for getting that correct?

    I think we used to put in enough water to almost cover the veg (maybe 80%) but not quite. If that helps!


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  • Closed Accounts Posts: 15,116 ✭✭✭✭RasTa


    Pub's mushroom soup always number one.


  • Closed Accounts Posts: 544 ✭✭✭SnowyMay


    Reading this made me want to make proper veg soup this weekend, so took a lot of various tips and advice on board and went off.. It was a bit ad hoc (my cooking style), but turned out to be delicious!

    So, two small onions and three small garlic cloves roughly chopped and sweated in a pot with butter for about 3 mins.

    Threw in a half of a chopped red pepper and some leek, stirred around for about a minute, and then threw in five small potatoes (peeled and diced), two carrots (peeled and diced), half a parsnip (peeled and dic.. well, you get the idea)!

    Filled to just a bit over the veg level with hot water and some chicken stock, salt and white pepper. And a small number of drained tinned chick peas at that stage as well. Let do its thing then for about 20 - 25 mins, and danced around the kitchen for a while, but also chopped about 1.5 sticks of celery.

    Celery goes in. Some (about a quarter tsp) of curry power, and, on tasting, added some black pepper and a teeny bit of chilli flakes. Oh, and then I said fk it, and put in a few dashes of Worcestershire sauce just for fun.

    Let it go on for another 5 mins then took it off the heat and zizzed it.

    Served with a small bit of Creme Fraiche on top, and with ham sandwiches from a pre-cooked ham I had baking in the oven with cloves, orange juice, brown sugar and honey glaze.

    Have to say, the soup was the star. Could be done in about 30 mins.

    Have a very blurry picture of the soup, as it was half gone before I thought to take a pic, so it was taken with one hand on the phone, and one hand stuffing my face. :)


    6-CA63-E2-D-73-C5-493-F-9732-7-E1-EBCE92-DF4.jpg


  • Registered Users Posts: 13 diaper dude


    I think I probably can't stand the soups being mentioned here in connection with hotels, but maybe we are talking about different things. Love me a simple homemade soup though, but it has to be thick and brown to meet my approval.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,688 ✭✭✭✭Muahahaha


    Dial Hard wrote: »
    Yis are all mad. I don't think I've ever had a hotel/pub veg soup that wasn't over-salted mush.

    The rolls are generally par-baked Cuisine de France style bouchons, btw. Lidl and Aldi used to do a bag of similar ones that you finish in the oven, worth checking if they still do for anyone trying to recreate the experience.

    Yeah Aldi still has those par baked white rolls in packets of four, they are pretty identical to the Cuisine de France ones you'd get in pubs/hotels. Just 10 minutes in the oven at 200c and they're done like fresh. Though for soup I get their par baked baguettes which are the same bread as the rolls but theres more bread in them.

    One soup Im enjpying a lot of lately is pea and chorizo, I cant believe I went years without discovering it because its absolutely divine. Once you fry the chorizo for a few minutes it leaks all its oils into the soup making it really flavoursome. For a budget cheapie soup its hard to beat butternut squash, a single squash is 79c in Aldi and that yields about a kilo of veg. With a bit of carrot and cumin added you get 4-5 bowls of soup for under a euro.


  • Registered Users Posts: 13 diaper dude


    Muahahaha wrote: »
    For a budget cheapie soup its hard to beat butternut squash, a single squash is 79c in Aldi and that yields about a kilo of veg. With a bit of carrot and cumin added you get 4-5 bowls of soup for under a euro.

    Butternut Squash is one of life's great secrets.


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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,528 ✭✭✭✭HeidiHeidi


    Butternut Squash is one of life's great secrets.
    I agree - back in my low-carbing days I used BNS and cauliflower mash to top shepherd's and cottage pie - it's a delicious combination.


    And it makes DELICIOUS soup as well - thanks for the reminder, haven't made that in an age :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 32,382 ✭✭✭✭rubadub


    Adding MSG to soup gave me a distinct reminder of many soups I have had out.

    Boullion is mentioned a lot here, some of those will have MSG, or the "MSG free" ones will typically have yeast extract, another glutamate or there are various other glutamates

    Knorr Aromat is readily available and after salt the second main ingredient is MSG.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,688 ✭✭✭✭Muahahaha


    Must try adding some MSG to soups, Ive a bag of it in the spice drawer but I only ever think of using it for chinese cooking


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 2,543 ✭✭✭A2LUE42


    A long time ago, but used to make this soup on a daily basis. The hardest 2 weeks ever from a soup perspective was when we had a conference group in and they wanted a different soup on the menu for lunch and dinner for 2 weeks.

    But the basis for most of the hot veg type soups was as follows.

    Leeks, onions and celery cooked/sweated off in the bottom of a large pot and then add some premade roux. (Flour and Butter version, not French)
    The chicken stock would then be added. (Not too concerned about vegetarians back then.)
    Then the vegetables that were to be the basis of the soup.
    Carrots, Potato, Parsnip primarily. Avoid Broccoli and the like.
    As mentioned previously if there were a pot of carrots leftover from the previous night, which was often the case, that would be used. 30l containers that would have been in a fridge from late the previous night.
    Same with mashed potato, which also would have had Margerine, salt and pepper in it.
    This is the part I didn't see mentioned though. The normal way these carrots would have been cooked was as slices or batons in a large pot, with a few blocks of margarine, salt, pepper and a considerable amount of sugar. This gives them a sweeter flavour and a bright shiny glazed look when being served as a side dish.

    When the soup was cooked, you would then use an industrial hand blender to chop everything very finely in the pot.
    This mix was then passed through a conical sieve into another large pot using a small ladle to speed up the pass-through process. anything that didn't pass through the sieve was waste.
    The remaining mix was then heated up and cream added and kept in a bain-marie or soup holder until served.
    The serving was normally with a small dollop of cream and a sprinkle of chopped parsley(fresh, not dried. Shouldn't have to point that out, but I have seen dried parsley used to quite comedic results)


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 2,613 Mod ✭✭✭✭Mystery Egg


    Made another pot of this for warming Saturday lunches. Delicious.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 19,688 ✭✭✭✭Muahahaha


    Made cauliflower soup a few weeks back, wasnt gone on it but think I didnt season it enough. It was only cauliflower, an onion and chicken stock I used.


  • Moderators, Category Moderators, Politics Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators, Regional East Moderators Posts: 12,110 CMod ✭✭✭✭Dizzyblonde


    Muahahaha wrote: »
    Made cauliflower soup a few weeks back, wasnt gone on it but think I didnt season it enough. It was only cauliflower, an onion and chicken stock I used.

    There's a great recipe for broccoli soup in the Souper Soup thread which can also be used for cauliflower. I make it regularly, though I don't add cream. If you're a fan of blue cheese, crumbling some into cauliflower soup is really nice.

    https://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showpost.php?p=68984613&postcount=35


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 672 ✭✭✭LilacNails


    I bought veg soup in Aldi... New Grange *I think that's what it's called*. It's a big tub for 3euro. I thought of this thread while downing it, it is exactly like the bar/hotel soup this thread is about. Have bought it 4/5timea since, should be a lot more but a lot of the time it's already out of stock! And it's made in Ireland!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 798 ✭✭✭Yyhhuuu


    LilacNails wrote: »
    I bought veg soup in Aldi... New Grange *I think that's what it's called*. It's a big tub for 3euro. I thought of this thread while downing it, it is exactly like the bar/hotel soup this thread is about. Have bought it 4/5timea since, should be a lot more but a lot of the time it's already out of stock! And it's made in Ireland!

    Dont waste your money buying soup. Very very unhealthy as full of salt. I make my own for 50cent which lasts about 5 days and is delicious.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,957 ✭✭✭con747


    Yyhhuuu wrote: »
    Dont waste your money buying soup. Very very unhealthy as full of salt. I make my own for 50cent which lasts about 5 days and is delicious.

    I also make my own soups in large quantities in an 11 litre stock pot and freeze it but I also keep tins of soup like this https://www.tesco.ie/groceries/Product/Details/?id=250412487 in my cupboard for a quick lunch when I need to. Not all bought soups are "Very very" unhealthy or "full" of salt. It's like everything else taken in moderation.

    Don't expect anything from life, just be grateful to be alive.



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  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 2,613 Mod ✭✭✭✭Mystery Egg


    Yyhhuuu wrote: »
    Dont waste your money buying soup. Very very unhealthy as full of salt. I make my own for 50cent which lasts about 5 days and is delicious.

    Excuse me my home made soup is full of salt :pac:


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,149 ✭✭✭✭the beer revolu


    Yyhhuuu wrote: »
    Dont waste your money buying soup. Very very unhealthy as full of salt. I make my own for 50cent which lasts about 5 days and is delicious.

    Aren't you just fantastic!


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 672 ✭✭✭LilacNails


    Yyhhuuu wrote: »
    Dont waste your money buying soup. Very very unhealthy as full of salt. I make my own for 50cent which lasts about 5 days and is delicious.

    Ok, well how do u make it (and taste just as good) for just 50c?


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 18,099 ✭✭✭✭Mantis Toboggan


    Would agree that most of the packet soup is full of salt.

    I'd recommend a soup maker, fire in whatever veg you want, couple of spuds, some pepper, chicken or veg stock cube, some garlic and onion and fill with water, when ready add some cream and small bit of milk. 5 or 6 portions of soup in just 25 minutes. Savage.

    Free Palestine 🇵🇸



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 798 ✭✭✭Yyhhuuu


    LilacNails wrote: »
    Ok, well how do u make it (and taste just as good) for just 50c?


    LOL When you ask about tasting as good did you ever have home made soup. Far tastier than overpriced bought soup with high sodium levels contributing to stroke and heart disease.
    I make it for ~50c Very easy, I buy usually organic vegetable offer in Aldi for 49c ( generally better quality than Lidl) or reduced to clear. Btw most of my main meals cost less than €1 using either fish or meat ( not processed food).

    I don't need a soup maker. I use a saucepan and a good blender.

    Those packet soups are quite unhealthy, fullof salt and additives. Homemade is far better and a fraction of the cost.


  • Registered Users Posts: 96 ✭✭Qwertyminger


    There's a great recipe for broccoli soup in the Souper Soup thread which can also be used for cauliflower. I make it regularly, though I don't add cream. If you're a fan of blue cheese, crumbling some into cauliflower soup is really nice.

    We made the closest soup I ever had to the hotel variety the other day.

    Used a packet (chicken and country veg with the bits taken out) but added potatoes, broccoli and string beans.

    Probably full of msg but what are you going to do.


  • Moderators, Science, Health & Environment Moderators Posts: 4,726 Mod ✭✭✭✭Tree


    Some of the worst soup i've ever eaten has been homemade. There's a lot to be said for letting the professionals at it (the soup maker in question has since found a cheffy boyfriend and no longer makes soup)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 798 ✭✭✭Yyhhuuu


    Tree wrote: »
    Some of the worst soup i've ever eaten has been homemade. There's a lot to be said for letting the professionals at it (the soup maker in question has since found a cheffy boyfriend and no longer makes soup)

    You dont need to be a professional to make homemade soup. It can be very simple. Homemade in my opinion and those I asked, superior than anything bought unless you want a tonne of salt.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 355 ✭✭delboythedub


    No butter/cream?

    Drop of milk


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  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,657 Mod ✭✭✭✭Faith


    Mod note: yyhhuuu, you’ve made your point. This isn’t the Nutrition and Diet forum so we’re not interested in preaching about healthiness or salt content or anything like that. Don’t post on this thread again, thanks.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 4,665 ✭✭✭White Clover


    LilacNails wrote: »
    I bought veg soup in Aldi... New Grange *I think that's what it's called*. It's a big tub for 3euro. I thought of this thread while downing it, it is exactly like the bar/hotel soup this thread is about. Have bought it 4/5timea since, should be a lot more but a lot of the time it's already out of stock! And it's made in Ireland!

    I bought this after reading your post. I didnt like it at all, it just tasted like salt!
    Saying that, for the previous 3 days, we had homemade vegetable soup made by my sister that tasted just like pub/restaurant soup without the salt, it was divine!
    I have asked her to send me her recipe!


  • Posts: 0 [Deleted User]


    Is there anything to be said for cooking veg soup for a few hours on the lowest heat in a saucepan? I know the veg can be done in 25 mins, just wondering if cooking it longer yields any extra benefits the way a stew would? I would end up blending it either way.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 29,528 ✭✭✭✭HeidiHeidi


    Is there anything to be said for cooking veg soup for a few hours on the lowest heat in a saucepan? I know the veg can be done in 25 mins, just wondering if cooking it longer yields any extra benefits the way a stew would? I would end up blending it either way.
    I don't think so - and in fact, have often wondered the reverse - is anything lost in "overcooking" the veg, given that any nutrients leach into the liquid which is blended into the soup anyhow?


  • Moderators, Recreation & Hobbies Moderators Posts: 2,613 Mod ✭✭✭✭Mystery Egg


    Big pot of this on the go right now, given the day that's in it. Nice sourdough loaf and a bit of cheese and dinner is done. :)


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,957 ✭✭✭con747


    I have stock pot of Spicy Carrot/Coriander soup on as well. Lunches for the week and some for the freezer. I have started to make it very thick and thin it out after blending with milk and find it's very nice. Don't use full fat milk though because it can curdle.

    Don't expect anything from life, just be grateful to be alive.



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  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 12,910 ✭✭✭✭whatawaster


    spent years trying to make soup to match the taste of the pub/hotel offerings already mentioned here.

    Always turned out bland and tasteless.

    Watched Marco Pierre White make soup and he added about 4 knorr stock pots. I know he's paid

    So I started adding 2 stockpots instead of 1

    Completely transformed the soup. From tasteless, to (imo) restaurant quality.

    I'm sure the salt content is through the roof. It may ultimately kill me, but the soup tastes amazing.

    I only add a couple of pinches of salt to the onions at the start. No other salt added at all, just the 2 stock pots.


  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 6,698 ✭✭✭Feisar


    spent years trying to make soup to match the taste of the pub/hotel offerings already mentioned here.

    Always turned out bland and tasteless.

    Watched Marco Pierre White make soup and he added about 4 knorr stock pots. I know he's paid

    So I started adding 2 stockpots instead of 1

    Completely transformed the soup. From tasteless, to (imo) restaurant quality.

    I'm sure the salt content is through the roof. It may ultimately kill me, but the soup tastes amazing.

    I only add a couple of pinches of salt to the onions at the start. No other salt added at all, just the 2 stock pots.

    The difference between beautiful and bland is often down to seasoning.

    First they came for the socialists...



  • Registered Users, Registered Users 2 Posts: 17,149 ✭✭✭✭the beer revolu


    I only add a couple of pinches of salt to the onions at the start. No other salt added at all, just the 2 stock pots.

    Reminds me of my Dad (a salt fiend).

    Me: Wooah, this is salty!!
    Dad: I didn't put any salt in it.
    Me: Well, how is it so salty?
    Dad: Well, I'm telling you that I didn't put any salt in it!
    Me: How many stock cubes??
    Dad: 4.

    He drove me feckin bonkers but I miss my dad!


  • Moderators, Society & Culture Moderators Posts: 30,657 Mod ✭✭✭✭Faith


    My favourite was a co-worker who banged on about how bad for you salt is, and he was very proud of the fact that he and his family used NO salt when cooking.

    He told me this as he munched through two bags of Doritos.

    I felt sorry for his kids, growing up eating such bland food :eek:.


  • Posts: 25,611 ✭✭✭✭ [Deleted User]


    People have no idea how much salt they use full stop. Old housemates of mine felt the need to interject when they saw me salting chips, even when I explained I had the nozzle to the side and was during out feck all. The same people making a sauce would chat to you while salt was flowing freely from the same container.


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