Garnishing with Sippets

 Beans in the Cupboard Soup with Sippets

Sippets with Parsley

A sippet, you say. But what exactly is a sippet? I learned a little about sippets or more simply stated as stale bread with herbs from the book "The Soup Bible" about how they can be an alternative to croutons to top off a soup. Generally, sippets are fried with butter and fresh herbs that are versatile on numerous soups for their rich and hearty flavor. The recipe I found used butter and fresh herbs of your choice (I opted for parsley), but you can also use oil and dried herbs-I'm sure whatever option you chose will make your soup extra sipp-tastic.

Sippets

Recipe derived from "The Soup Bible"
Ingredients:
3 slices of day-old bread
4 tablespoons of butter
3 tablespoons of finely-chopped fresh parsley, or cilantro or basil

Directions:
1. Cut the bread into fingers about 1 inch long.
2. Melt the butter into a large skillet. Toss in the small fingers of bread and fry slowly until golden brown.
3. Add the fresh herbs and stir well to combine. Cook for 1 minute longer, stirring continuously. Strew the sippets on top of the soup and serve.

Soups that work well with sippets

• Butternut Squash Soup
• Tomato Soup
• Pumpkin Soup
• Split Pea Soup
• Potato and Leek Soup
• Minestrone Soup

Have you ever used sippets as a garnish?

Seriously Soupy Serena

Garnishing with Crème Fraiche

Dairy is another option to use when garnishing your soup. Standard options include sour cream on a black bean soup or topping a soup off with yogurt or some cheese. Another option is to use crème fraiche. I've heard a little something about this product they call crème fraiche for some time now. It was supposed to be topped off on this chilled edamame soup but I couldn't locate it anywhere, then I heard about it in this chesnut soup. Apparently all the rage, it is made up of a special bacteria that gives it a sour taste that is widely found in Europe and throughout speciality stores in the states. For this garnishing post, I attempted to make my own crème fraiche from a recipe I found on Joy of Cooking. Here's the recipe and my reaction to this experience:

  prepping the heavy whipping cream

buttermilk in the tablespoon

                 

Reprinted from Creme Fraiche by Stephanie Jaworski as featured on the Joy of Cooking

Recipe:

1 cup (240 ml) heavy whipping cream

1 tablespoon buttermilk

Note:  If possible, use pasteurized heavy whipping cream, as ultra pasteurized will take longer to thicken.

Creme Fraiche: In a medium saucepan over low heat, warm the cream to 105 degrees F (40 degrees C). Remove from heat and stir in the buttermilk. Transfer the cream to a large bowl and allow this mixture to stand in a warm place, loosely covered with plastic wrap, until thickened but still of pouring consistency.  Stir and taste every 6 - 8 hours. This process takes anywhere from 24 to 36 hours, depending on your room temperature.  The creme fraiche is ready when it is thick with a slightly nutty sour taste.  Chill cream, in the refrigerator, for several hours before using. Creme fraiche may be made and stored in the refrigerator for up to 10 days.

Read more: http://www.joyofbaking.com/CremeFraiche.html#ixzz0eL17Tjav

P.S. The pictures really make it hard to tell the difference but the creme DID become thick, and yes had a very nutty taste as the Joy of Baking recipe stated. I didn't really enjoy the beginning process though. The buttermilk smell was a bit much and it definitely required some time and attention to turn the creme. But if you have the time, patience, and of course can't seem to find this product anywhere this recipe is a great alternative to the packaged verison.

 Finished Product-the Crème Fraiche

OTHER DAIRY PRODUCTS FOR SOUPS GARNISHES

• Greek yogurt
• Sour cream
• Shredded cheese such as cheddar
• Crumbly cheese such as goat, gorgonzola, or feta
• Grated parmesan
• Ricotta cheese

What are some other dairy garnishes (or alternatives even to dairy) that you use for your soup?
Seriously Soupy Serena

Garnishing with Citrus

Garnishing with citrus. Maybe not that first idea that would come to mind when finishing off a soup, but one that actually has numerous possibilities to enhance a soup and I'm not just talking about making your soup look pretty. The citrus family—oranges, limes, lemons, etc make up a group of acidic fruits that can be squeezed directly into a soup in order to balance certain ingredients and flavors in your soup, as well as solely for decorative purposes. I found a very detailed tutorial from TLC Cooking as featured on How Stuff Works about Citrus Garnishes. I tried the citrus peel, garnish loop and the scored citrus slices. Check out how they came out and the step-by-step tutorial from TLC Cooking:

Reprinted from How to Garnish by the Editors of Easy Home Cooking Magazine as featured on TLC Cooking:

Candied Citrus Peel 

 

To candy citrus peel garnishes:

• Wash fruit; dry thoroughly. Cut strips of peel from fruit with vegetable peeler.
• Place the strips of peel on cutting board. If necessary, scrape cut side of peel with paring knife to remove white membrane.
• Cut peel into very thin strips. 
• Combine equal amounts of sugar and water in small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, stirring constantly with wooden spoon. Boil 3 minutes. You will need about 1-1/2 cups each of granulated sugar and water for each piece of whole fruit. 
• Carefully add strips of peel to boiling mixture.
• Reduce heat to low. Simmer 10 to 12 minutes or until peel turns completely translucent. 
• Place wire strainer or sieve over bowl. Spoon strips of peel into strainer or sieve; drain thoroughly. 
• Add additional sugar to a re-sealable plastic food storage bag. Add strips of peel; seal bag. Shake until strips are evenly coated with sugar. Remove strips from bag; place on waxed paper to dry thoroughly.  
• Garnish as desired.

Citrus Knots

To tie citrus knot garnishes:  

• Wash citrus fruit; dry thoroughly. Cut strips of peel from fruit with vegetable peeler. 
• Place the strips of peel on cutting board. If necessary, scrape cut side of peel with paring knife to remove white membrane. 
• Cut strips into 3-1/2 X 1/8-inch pieces. 
• Tie each piece into a knot. 
• Garnish as desired.

 Citrus Loop
 To make citrus loop garnishes:  

• Wash citrus fruit; dry thoroughly. Place fruit on cutting board; cut crosswise into thin slices with utility knife. 
• Cut each slice in half crosswise. 
• Carefully cut each half slice between peel and fruit with paring knife to loosen peel from fruit, cutting about three-fourths around the inside of the peel. (Fruit should remain attached to about one-fourth of the length of the peel.) 
• Holding free end of peel, carefully curl it under, tucking it up against attached part of peel. 
• Garnish as desired.

Scored Citrus Slices

 To score citrus slice garnishes: 

• Wash citrus fruit; dry thoroughly. Cut a shallow groove into the peel with citrus stripper or tip of grapefruit spoon, cutting lengthwise from stem end to other end. 
• Continue to cut grooves about 1/4 inch apart until completely around fruit.     
• Place fruit on cutting board; thinly slice crosswise with paring knife.
• Garnish as desired. 

* I did not have a citrus stripper or tip of grapefruit spoon, so I attempted to do my best with a small knife. This resulted in a thicker and a bit messier model than the TLC one.
 

Soups that Work with Citrus Garnishes

Limes:

• Black Bean Soup
  
• Corn Soup
• Tortilla Soup
• Avocado Soup
• Pumpkin Soup
• Coconut Soup
  

Lemons:

• Chicken Rice Soup
  
• Lemon Orzo Soup
• Fish-based soup
  

 Oranges:

• Carrot Soup
• Butternut Squash Soup
• Apple Soup
  
  
  
  
  
  
  What type of citrus garnishes have you used and on what type of soup?
  Seriously Soupy Serena
  

  
  
  
  
  
  
  

Garnishing with Vegetables

I hope everyone enjoyed and tested out the crouton recipe from last weeks post. They make an nice addition to numerous soups, but another option is to garnish with vegetables. Using vegetables can enhance the look of a soup by utilizing unique shapes and design forms, as well as change a soups composition, color, and flavor. Since I had beets and carrots at home (the "use what you have" mantra) I decided to incorporate that into a tasty garnish. Generally, when you use vegetable garnishes they are a component of a soup (you make an asparagus soup, most likely an asparagus garnish would be used), but they can also include different ingredients that enhance its flavor (an asparagus soup with a zucchini and rosemary garnish) may also be an option. It's really up to you, and most of the fun is experimenting with different flavors until you find the garnish that works best for your soup. Check out my quick and easy beet/carrot garnish to top off your next soup:

Garnishing with Beets and Carrots

Ingredients
2 beets, very thinly sliced
2-3 carrots, very thinly sliced
1/2 of garlic clove, chopped
1-2 sprigs of fresh sage (can also use rosemary, basil, etc)
1 tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil
pinch of sea salt
pinch of black pepper

Directions:
I had beets already prepared, but basically all you have to do is add water to a pot and let it boil. Then, peel the beets, cut them up and add them to the boiling water. After 15 minutes or so they should be ready. Once your beets are prepared (and cooled), cut them and the carrots into very thin, long strips. Cut up the sage (or your favorite herb) into fine squares and mix it into the beets and carrots, along with salt and pepper. Add olive oil to a pan, add the vegetables and sautee for 10 minutes, making sure all sides of the veggies are cooked. Use 2-4 thin strips of a carrot and beet combination or just one vegetable and place it on top of the soup, along with a few squares of sage. Enjoy!

* For this garnish (beets and carrots), I would top it with a pureed soup such as squash soup, carrot soup, or a potato-based soup

Other Vegetable Garnish Options:

• Leeks
• Zucchini
• Squash
• Pumpkin
• Bell Peppers
• Sweet Potatoes and White Potatoes
• Radishes
• Artichokes
• Eggplant 
• Asparagus

Soups that Work with Vegetable Garnishes

Vegetable Purees such as:

• Squash Soup
  
• Carrot Soup
  
• Asparagus Soup
  
• Tomato or Cream of Tomato Soup
  
• Potato and Leek Soup
• Leek Soup
  

What vegetable garnishes do you use and with what types of soup?

Seriously Soupy Serena

Garnishing with Croutons

Some soups are best left alone. However, others may seem incomplete without placing a little something extra on top such as garnish or an accompaniment. These little nuggets not only enhance the presentation of a soup, but can change the composition, texture, and even alter the flavor of a soup—all in a good way, of course. Personally I am a little misguided about garnishes. I appreciate when they are there, but honestly I'm not sure what type of garnish should go with what soup and in general, I usually opt for a heaping amount of parmesan cheese as my garnish. Oh boy, do I have a lot to learn! So, I decided to educate myself (and others) by writing an on-going series about the fine art of garnishing, including how to make them and what soups work well with them. For the first installation of the series, I am going to start out with croutons —a pretty basic garnish that most of us are familiar with and one that is actually fairly simple to make. Here's how to make complete your soup...or at least learn how to dress it up before it gets devoured!

How to Make Croutons

Since I am solely a soupy creator, I needed a little help with actually making the crouton itself. And luckily for me (and you), I discovered this incredible recipe from one of my favorite bloggers (www.savorysweetlife.com). I pretty much followed Alice's recipe word-for-word, except I used whole-wheat bread (made the croutons appear very dark) and fresh parsley instead of the dried variety (I had it on hand for tonight's soupy). But overall the process was so easy and quick that I may have to make my own variety of crouton very soon-maybe adding rosemary, garlic, or basil to the mix?

Also, do be sure to check out Alice's site for the fantastic crouton pictures and detailed tutorial that made this process pretty darn easy.

Homemade Croutons Recipe, adapted from http://savorysweetlife.com created by Alice

Ingredients:
6 slices regular, gluten-free, or low-carb bread (fresh or day old), crusts trimmed and cubed
3 tablespoons melted butter or olive oil
1 teaspoon garlic powder and a pinch of salt  OR 1/2 teaspoon garlic salt
1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

Directions:
Preheat over to 300 degrees. Mix melted butter, garlic powder/salt, and parsley flakes until garlic powder is dissolved and mixture is clump free.  Toss butter mixture with cubed bread in a medium bowl until cubes are evenly coated.  Spread coated bread cubes on a cookie sheet in a single layer.  Bake for 15 minutes and check to see if they are dry, crispy, and golden brown.  Stir the croutons around and bake for an additional 15 minutes until done. Store croutons in air-tight container or ziplock bag.  Enjoy!

* Mine typically take 30 minutes baking time total – your baking time may vary.

Soups That Go Well With Croutons

In general, cream-based soups and vegetable purees go well with croutons. I also think that some bean-based soups work well with croutons, but really you can place a crouton on any type of soup you please and I'm sure it will work out just fine. Here's a listing of some popular soup and crouton pairings:

• Butternut Squash Soup
• Pumpkin Soup
• Tomato and Cream of Tomato Soup
• Lentil Soup
• Cream of Broccoli Soup
• Potato Soup
• Split Pea Soup
• Squash Soup
• Mushroom Soup
• Spinach Soup
• Bean-Based Soups such as White Bean and Kale or Lentil
  

What type of soup would you put croutons on?

Seriously Soupy Serena