For some soups like a cream of broccoli or a shrimp bisque, I saute the veggies first...but for a "big pot of chicken soup" I just toss the cut up veggies into the broth.
For potato salad, I prefer russets, they absorb the flavors better, but some prefer either long whites or red potatoes because they are firmer....some even prefer Yukon Golds for the flavor and color.
So...in answer to your question...."it doesn't really matter!" LOL!
Linda C

There's something to be said for sauteing all aromatic vegetables such as onion, garlic, carrot and celery in oil before simmering in liquid. Oil becomes infused with flavors and aromas to a much greater degree than water. For that reason I saute onion and garlic if nothing else.

Which potato for salad is a matter of preference. Russets are more mealy. Red potatoes are more waxy. I like red potatoes and I leave the skins on.

Jim

Thanks.

The only veggies I sate first are garlic, onions, leeks and some times celery. Everything else just gets tossed in the broth. Same goes for stews.

I prefer a waxy potato (red or white) for my potato salad because they hold their shape better than russets but actually prefer the texture of russets best.

As for to saute or not to saute, it depends on the flavor you are in search of. Different methods of cooking bring out different flavor qualities. For example, a vegetable beef soup benefits from the richer flavor of slightly caramelized onions, celery and carrots. But, a chicken soup does not...for chicken soup, sauteing onions until they're limp but not browning at all brings out their sweetness.

Cream soups also can taste very different depending upon how you cook the vegetables. A cream of broccoli soup will taste very different if the broccoli is thoroughly cooked before pureeing than it will if it is quickly cooked in the stock/cream.

Try making soups both ways and see what cooking techniques provide the flavor you prefer!

I use whatever potatoes I have on hand for potato salad...they have different flavors and textures, but all taste good. When I'm making a potato salad that I want to be especially good, for a party or potluck, I use a variety of potatoes. Russet, reds and Yukons in an even mix. Then you have the rich flavor of the russets, the firmness of the reds and the subtle flavor and pretty color of the Yukons.

Rachelellen, your comments on soup flavor are wonderfully insightful. I had not thought so deeply about it, but I can see that you are right. I may have applied your ideas by instinct or by accident but I will apply them deliberately in the future. Thanks.

BYW, just to "stir the pot" so to speak, how come so many cooks here consider hot soup to be for cold weather only. It is great for cold weather, of course, but I like it year 'round. Opinions?

Jim

Jim,
I sure eat a lot more hot soup in the cold weather, but I can down a hot bowl of clam chowder in an air conditioned restaurant.....sure! No Problem!

I just find that with all the fresh produce around me, I tend to want salads with lighter meats (shrimp, chicken), fresh fruit, or grilled stuff.

I'm not a cold soup lover (I'm trying to learn...), so my hot soups are pretty limited in the summer.

However..............if you want to come serve me hot soup, I'm not gonna turn it down!! LOL

Socks,
My sauteing (sp?) depends on my mood, type of dish, time available, etc. No hard fast rule here!!

Same for the potato salad! :-) Whatever is handy!

Deanna

Socks, I rarely make soup without a recipe to go by. I only saute the veggies if it calls for it. As Jim said, Rachellen did have some very good insights.

I use whatever potatoes I have on hand for making potato salad. I prefer russets because they seem to absorb the flavors better. Also because they cook up a bit and some of the cooked up bits add to the "salad" feel which I like better than totally separate pieces.

As for soup, I admit cold winter days almost make me beg for it, but I also eat it all summer long if I happen to have it. I love soup anytime.

In summer I make soups very frequently because there are always a few assorted vegetables ready to pick. Whatever is ready always inspires a soup idea. These soups are improvised. I rarely make soup with a recipe to go by. :-)

Jim

Jim and Beverly, I appreciate the compliments, and if my comments are of use in improving your soups, I am pleased, because I am an absolute fiend for soup! :D

Ooh, soup! No matter the weather. In fact, several of my Asian friends' Moms insist that drinking hot soup on a hot day cools the body. I suppose they are right, because drinking hot soup does make one sweat, and sweating is the body's method of cooling. (I still insist on drinking lots of ice water and cold sodas rather than hot tea when the mercury rises, for which I have been roundly scolded.)

I'm not crazy about most cold soups...but do like a good gazpacho. My mother, who was really not a good cook overall (not a criticism, she just didn't really like to cook, and yet did it every day to feed us, thank you Mom!) did make a chilled artichoke soup that was heavenly. It was a horribly laborious task, involving cooking the artichokes and then scraping each "leaf" or "petal" with a spoon to puree for a cream soup that had chunks of the heart diced up in it. I have tried to duplicate it and have made many very good artichoke soups as a result, but none as good as hers...there was some ingredient or other that, as a kid, I hadn't ever bothered to inquire about. She also made a chilled carrot soup that was excellent.

Like Jim, I really don't use recipes for soup. If one has some good stock (or even a good quality, commercial base), a fresh vegetable (or six) and a bit of grain, noodles, legumes, and maybe some meat or fish, along with herbs (fresh or dried) and spices, a fantastic soup is waiting to be created. Soup is the friend of the cook entertaining unexpected guests, feeding a family on a budget, tired from a long day's work and needing a fast dinner, or intent upon using up any number of leftovers or a superfluity of garden produce.

I have been trying to write down recipes for some of the things I make, and this is a recipe for a soup good hot or cold. I must have written it out during the Winter, as the herbs are dried...I dry my own herbs, so their flavor tends to be more intense than those bought in the store. If you use store bought, dried herbs, you might have to adjust the seasoning. I often add some hot red pepper flakes or sliced fresh hot peppers if everyone I'm serving it to likes spicy hot foods.

Rachels Tortilla Soup

1 small yellow onion (about 1 1/3 c diced)
1 c diced celery
1 small carrot, diced (1/3 cup)
12 oz jar roasted red bell peppers, drained and choppedÂor about 1 ½ average sized red bell peppers, freshly roasted, peeled, de-seeded and chopped.
4 large cloves garlic, smashed
1 14.5 oz can diced tomatoes
1 t dry oregano
1 t dry basil
14 t dry thyme
¾ t ground black pepper + cayenne to taste (optional)
2 c chicken stock
2 c beef stock
3 corn tortillasÂthe smaller ones, about 5-6 inch round, chopped.
3 more corn tortillas, sliced in 1/8" X 2" strips and deep fried until crispy.

Saute the onion, celery and carrot in about 2 T fatÂbacon fat, veg. Oil, olive oil, chicken fat, whatever floats your boat.
When the veggies are limp, and the onion is just starting to brown a bit, add the herbs and garlic and saute for a few more minutes until the herbs and garlic release their fragrance. Then add the rest of the ingredients, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer until the vegetables are all tender.
Puree the soup with a stick blender, or regular blender. Simmer on low for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Adjust for seasoning, adding a bit of water if the soup has boiled down too much and serve with the deep fried tortilla strips as a generous garnish.
This is a thick soup, thicker than most cream soups but without the calories cream adds. You can even bake your tortilla strips if you are trying to be very good, and dry saute your vegetables over a low fire, though it takes longer.