Soup is dinner? How to make the perfect cold weather recipe – 07/21/2023 – Food

The discussion is old and has even become a meme on social networks: after all, is soup “dinner” or not? What is certain is that the dish allows for countless combinations of flavors, textures and ingredients. In addition to being a comforting, nutritious and light option for winter nights.

To answer the question, the Sheet spoke with a team of chefs and the conclusion was unanimous: soup can indeed be dinner. The liquid-based dish can have a complex construction of flavors, just get the balance right.

“Soup is a main dish. I just think it makes more sense if it’s served at dinner because it’s a cozy meal. At night, it’s also time to rest our digestive system and soup has a bit of that characteristic”, says Bel Coelho, chef at Cuia restaurant.

Laura Franco, nutritionist and chef at Olga Ri, joins in defending the dish and addresses the anatomy of the soup: “just like any other meal, the ideal thing is that we have the main nutrient sources there, such as carbohydrate, protein and fat. We can come up with several ideas based on that”.

For the nutritionist, there are many options for carbohydrate sources, especially tubers, such as potatoes, cassava, cassava; or cereals, found in rice, pasta and wholemeal bread, in the form of croutons.

With regard to proteins, the possibilities range from red meat to chicken, passing through plant sources, such as soy, chickpeas, lentils, beans and peas.

The chef also recalls the importance of fats, which can be oil or butter, for example. The ingredient is used both in preparation, for sautéing, and in finishing, giving that special touch.

In the flavor composition and to increase the nutritional value of the soup, vegetables cannot be left out. Sources of fiber and micronutrients, they give the dish personality.

Soup au pistou, a vegetable soup with a touch of pesto, is chef Bel Coelho’s favorite. The recipe from the south of France calls for navy beans, carrots, peas, cabbage, potatoes and tomatoes.

For the creator of Cuia, what makes a soup more attractive is the use of condiments and spices, such as cumin, turmeric, ginger and paprika. “You have to use and abuse seasonings to give personality. A vegetable soup finished with a spoonful of pesto is more interesting from the point of view of taste”, she says.

Danielle Dahoui, chef at Bistrô Ruella, defends that the dish avoids waste. “You can put everything inside, making it more nutritious and taking advantage of everything you have in the fridge.” His favorite recipe is Borsch, a beet-based soup of Ukrainian origin, which can be supplemented with a protein, such as muscle.

For Dahoui, the secret of soup is in a good broth. Your recipe includes onions, garlic, leeks, potatoes, carrots, bay leaves, cloves, cinnamon, a sprig of rosemary, stalks and leftovers of other vegetables. She cooks everything for an average of 40 minutes, lets it cool, sieves it and uses it to prepare her recipe.

The broth, which can be traditional, vegetable or meat, also has its secrets. For chicken broth, for example, the tip is to give preference to parts with bones, which can be taken to the oven to bring out a more complex flavor. Another suggestion is to use the brulée onion technique, when it gives a slight burn to caramelize.