Page 185 - YC Cooking School

ensures that the flavours are released slowly, which is exactly what you’re after as a
cuisinier.

4. Sweat the vegetables to release flavours
That doesn’t mean giving them a workout. Sweating vegetables means cooking them slowly
and gently in a little oil to the point that they soften up, become translucent and are more
fragrant. Don’t cook them too long so that they get too brown, though. Sweating is slightly

different to the sautéing technique, where the goal is to cook the vegetables quickly over a
relatively high heat.

5. Cut your vegetables into roughly equal-sized chunks
This will give them a more uniform cooking time. Also remember that the smaller you cut

your vegetables, the more quickly they’ll cook.

6. Select your vegetables carefully
Be discerning when you shop. Some vegetables like courgettes and patty pans can be quite
bitter, particularly when you buy the larger, older varieties. If you can’t find small courgettes

or patty pans at your supermarket, use the flesh just 1cm behind the skin, as it gets
progressively more bitter as you move towards the centre.

7. Blanch your tomatoes
Blanching is a useful technique for removing the skins from fresh tomatoes. With a pointy

sharp paring knife, remove the woody bit of the tomatoes where they were once attached to
the plant, and then cut two incisions in the shape of a cross on the opposite end of the
tomato. This helps the heat get inside the tomato and loosen the skin. Place the tomatoes
in a large bowl and cover them with boiling water for a few seconds. Then drain and replace
with cold water. You’ll find that the skin of the tomatoes will have loosened significantly and
you can pull them off easily. Voilá!

8. Double up on homemade stock
Adding meat stock to a soup enhances its flavour. You can use a store-bought stock cube or
make your own using my handy shortcut, which you’ll find in the soupe au pistou recipe. The
flavours will always be better if you make your own stock, and the good news is that it
freezes well, so make a big batch to use for other meals.

9. Use your senses
When tasting soup (or any dish for that matter) it’s important to apply your mind as well as
your senses while you adjust your seasoning gradually. Taste the soup, smell it and prod a
few of the ingredients to make sure they’re cooked properly. If your dish needs a little more
salt or pepper, add it, stir and taste again. You’ll know when it tastes just the way you like it.

10. Gobble it all up
Many soups taste better the day after they’re made. Soupe au pistou, unfortunately, isn’t one

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