There’s no denying it: it’s the season for soup. Whether you’re a fan of classic potato and leek, creamy chicken noodle, or hearty minestrone, there’s nothing quite like a large pot of soup bubbling away on the hob when it’s chilly outside. However, even if a soup doesn’t turn out as expected, it’s usually still tasty, or easy to rectify with a few clever tricks.
If your soup turns out too thin, or you want to make it more filling, French chef Jacques Pepin has revealed a simple ingredient he likes to use – instant mashed potatoes. The TV chef and expert in French cuisine suggested this technique in an episode of Jacques Pepin: More Fast Food My Way.
In the episode, he demonstrated his recipe for a quick leek and potato soup by sauteing chopped leeks and mushrooms, simmering them in chicken stock, and then mixing in instant mashed potatoes.
When you think about it, instant mashed potatoes at their most basic are just dehydrated potatoes, so it’s akin to using powdered potato starch or cornflour in a soup, but without the worry of lumps.
While there are other methods you can use, such as adding a cornflour slurry or making a roux to thicken soups, these involve additional steps whereas the plain potato flakes thicken the soup with minimal effort or added flavour.
Jacques explained: “I’m using an instant mashed potato here, and those are potato flakes that you put directly in there, and it gives you the thickening, the richness of it, and that’s what you want. It’s great.”
Including thickeners in soups or stews is largely down to personal taste.
Towards the conclusion of the simmering process, simply incorporate a couple of tablespoons of instant mashed potato, mix thoroughly into the pan and allow it to simmer for a further five minutes.
Sample it, and if a thicker consistency is desired, introduce another tablespoon. Naturally, certain soups benefit from thickening whilst others do not.
For example, you might wish to enhance the body of your vegan vegetable noodle soup without incorporating animal-derived ingredients.
Conversely, numerous soups should absolutely maintain their brothy character, including Vietnamese noodle soup and bone broth.
Dining and Cooking