Thickened and Puréed Soups

Soups can be thickened in various ways. The most usual way is with flour which you add to melted butter and the uncooked ingredients in the saucepan before stirring in the stock. You can also mix the flour with a little liquid until smooth, then stir it in at the end of cooking, stirring until the soup thickens. (Flour must always be cooked thoroughly or the soup will taste starchy.) Adding fresh breadcrumbs is another way I like to thicken more homely, filling soups.

Cream and/or egg yolks added at the last minute make a richer flavoured and thicker soup. To thicken thin soups slightly, add cream and egg yolks, lightly whisked together, but only heat gently as boiling causes the eggs to scramble and single cream to curdle. I think a little flour thickening at the beginning followed by a cream and egg addition at the end is the most successful method. Most cream soups, whether vegetable, chicken or fish, are thickened this way to achieve their smooth consistency.