My favorite soups are the amuse-gueule soups, canapé soups, which we serve in demitasse or small soup cups: just two or three sips of intense lobster, of intense fennel, avocado, or watercress. It’s the explosion of flavor that’s so exciting—taking an ingredient and making it more than what it was to begin with.
Soup is simple. Identify your ingredient, cook it perfectly, and adjust the consistency. First, your main ingredient must be of prime quality: If you’re making turnip soup, you want a really good turnip. When you have your ingredient, ask yourself, “How do I cook this best?” Carrots? They’re a root vegetable, so you glaze them. If you glaze them perfectly, there’s your soup—just adjust the consistency with stock or other liquid. Green vegetables? Start by “big-pot blanching”, then purée, add liquid, and strain—there’s your soup.