Adding Texture

What makes a soup really palatable, whether it is a thick or a thin liquid, is the way in which its mouthfeel is varied by adding solid ingredients to it. As these often need to be prepared a different way or for longer or shorter periods of time, the soup base and the solid elements are often prepared separately. One can also take the easy way out and use ready-made stock—whether in the form of cubes, powders, or concentrated in cans—and cook the solid pieces in it.

Provençal bouillabaisse provides us with an excellent illustration of how to achieve textural variations using a range of ingredients. There is a plethora of recipes for bouillabaisse, but they are all based on a thick fish broth. It is made by boiling together an assortment of fish and shellfish that have a range of textures, along with onions, tomatoes, garlic, and herbs, in a large quantity of olive oil to which white wine has been added. The gelatin from the fish bones helps thicken the soup. When the mixture is brought to a rolling boil, the oil is split into tiny droplets that are emulsified and made creamier with the help of the gelatin extracted from the bones in the fish. Traditionally, the fish pieces and shellfish are removed from the liquid and served on the side. A piece of bread toasted in olive oil, which adds another dimension to the mouthfeel of the dish, is placed in a bowl and the soup is poured over it. The soup must be eaten right away before the oil separates out. In some bouillabaisse recipes, escargots are used instead of seafood.