Today I'm making rhubarb soup for Spring.There is always a choice of two soups for
dinner here at Audley End House. It is believedthat a lighter soup is more suitable for ladies
and for the gentleman a darker heavier soup.
This is a light soup which I'm going to servewith sippets of bread.
For this recipe you will need:
Rhubarb.
Beef Stock.
A small onion.
Slices of bread.
Seasoning.
This is rhubarb from the kitchen gardens.At this time of year it's grown in forcing
pots so we have young stalks that are paleand delicate. Later in the year unforced rhubarb
is a little courser. So use that for puddings.It's also useful in jam.
Rhubarb is usually associated with sweet dishes.But it works very well in soups to provide
a citrusy note to the flavour or in placeof Tamarind.
Today I'm using beef stock that I've addeda little bacon and tomato to and then strained
it.
And now the rhubarb.
I'm adding a small onion. Onions aren't verypopular at the top table - well it is associated
with the poor. But I'm adding it to give alittle flavour.
Next add two thin slices of bread with thecrusts removed to thicken it. You could use
cornflour or arrowroot but it won't be aswholesome.
A little pepper and salt.
As it boils, you will need to remove the scumfrom the top. The kitchen maids can do that.
As this is a light soup I need to remove thebits. So I am going to strain it.
Darker soups are often called purees becausethey are thicker - whether they are made from
vegetables or meat.
This will be reheated before serving. Nowto make the sippets.
Sippets are delicately cut little bits ofbread which are then toasted or fried. You
can serve these on the side with the soupor in the soup. Some people might call them
croutons.
There we are - rhubarb soup. Perfectly deliciousand seasonal.
Mrs Crocombe is making a light soup using rhubarb from the kitchen garden at Audley End House. INGREDIENTS 6 stalks of rhubarb 1 litre veal or beef stock 1 small onion 2 thin slices of bread, plus extra for croutons Salt and pepper METHOD Take half a dozen sticks of fine young rhubarb, peel them, and cut them into short lengths. Throw the rhubarb into a quart of good veal or beef stock and add a moderate sized onion, two thin slices of bread, and a little salt and pepper. Let the liquor boil, remove the scum as it rises, and simmer the soup until the fruit is quite tender - around 30 minutes. Strain it, and serve with toasted sippets. SUBSCRIBE TO OUR YOUTUBE CHANNEL: https://goo.gl/c5lVBJ FIND A PLACE TO VISIT: https://goo.gl/86w2F6 VISIT OUR BLOG: https://goo.gl/DumtLo LIKE US ON FACEBOOK: https://goo.gl/Un5F2X FOLLOW US ON TWITTER: https://goo.gl/p1EoGh FOLLOW US ON INSTAGRAM: https://goo.gl/PFzmY5