Soup GarnishesMake your soup special by serving with soup garnishes. With the cold weather upon us, it's the time of year when the minds of most people turns to food dishes that are filling, warm, comforting, and satisfying. No food dish does more to satisfy these needs in the minds of people than a hot piping bowl of soup, especially if the soup is homemade. A hot, fresh bowl of soup brings to mind a mother's or a grandmother's recipe that could ease any ache or pain, or that could cure any illness known to man. Not to mention homemade soup just taste darned good! The flavors of the base, the broth, the vegetables and the meats can send anyone to the moon, so excited they'd be.
Whenever you serve up a nice warm bowl or cup of soup, you want to transfer a feeling of making the diner feel special and cared for. Another way to get this feeling across, is with soup garnishes. You've seen soups being garnished with a sprig of parsley. Parsley is one of the most common and traditional food garnishes. But there are so many ways to garnish a bowl or a cup of soup. Here are some ways to do so:
Herb soup garnishes: We've already talked about parsley. But did you know that you can garnish your soup with just about any herb that compliments the flavor of your soup? For example, if you are serving a seafood soup or bisque, you will certainly want to highlight the flavor of bay leaves. It wouldn't be out of sorts to use a bay leaf as a garnish on top of these soups. Italian soups will call for the use of basil as a wonder garnish. Basil is an Italian staple, and it will add a rich flavor to the soup. If you aren't a fan of basil, then you can use a sprig of fresh oregano, or sprinkle some chopped oregano over your soup. Another wonderful herb to experiment around with is sprigs of rosemary.
Cream, or root garnish: It's not uncommon to see soups dressed up and garnished with a dollop of sour cream. This is very common for rich bisque, or for soups with a bean or pea base. As far as a garnish for Latin inspired soups, a few slices of avocado is heavenly. Also, you could sprinkle some fresh or dehydrated cilantro on these types of soups. Roots are certainly uses, such as scallions, chives, or leeks as a soup garnish, especially for broth based soups such as chicken or vegetable soups.
Cheese and Bread: Try to sprinkle some parmesan cheese over the favorite soup of your choice. You can use shredded cheddar cheese for soups such as bean and ham soup, and for split pea soup. Many cultures use bread as a part of the soup garnish. French onion soup is garnished with a slice of French bread, and Swiss cheese together. Many people love to use croutons, which are baked or fried cubes of bread, as a garnish for their soups.
Meat soup garnishes: There are many soups that cry out for a meat garnish, such as potato soup. You just have to sprinkle a bit of bacon or ham over top a potato soup. Bacon goes well with any of hearty, rich, and creamy soups. You can also use pancetta, which is like Italian bacon, but with more flavors on the palette. Again, use ham; the smoked variety will taste the best. You can also use pieces of the meat that is in the soup for a garnish, such as sliced pieces of grilled chicken, or crumbled pieces of beef. Let your imagination run wild
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