Cowboy Tricks: Soup
In a busy kitchen there is much that go wrong with a soup; flour-thickened soups can catch and burn during a moments mis-attention, chefs can become confused and add the wrong ingredients to the pot, the soup can be spilled moments before service and I've even had kitchen porters just pick up and throw away the whole soup on whim!
So however you managed to go wrong with a soup its important to be able to fix it or at worst knock up a quick remedy in a couple of minutes.

Chef Insight:
When a soup first starts to burn it will initially 'catch' at the base of the pan where the thicker sediment tends to rest while it isn't being stirred. This thick mass of vegetable, meat and flour particles are the first part of the soup to burn, as the burning continues these carbon aromas distribute throughout the soup and indeed this process is sped up by stirring which occurs when chefs haven't realised that the soup has 'caught'. The term 'caught' means that the soup has begun the burning process. A strong indication other than taste that a soup has 'caught' is a thick layer of sediment that has stuck to the base of the pan, this can be felt or discerned through the use of a wooden spoon or ladle.

Method: Fixing a burnt or 'caught' soup.
Do not stir the soup! Any further stirring will only agitate the burnt sediment causing the ruin to spread throughout the soup.
Immediately remove the saucepan from the heat
Prepare a clean saucepan
Slowly pour the 'caught' soup into the new saucepan
Stop pouring when you approach the bottom of the 'caught' saucepan. The bottom of the pan contains the bulk of the burnt aromas and must be discarded.
In the new saucepan add and blend: some stock and any fresh herbs that were added in the original recipe. (These two additions will lighten and alleviate the soup of any mild burnt aromas, bringing the soup back to life)
For a drastically burnt soup that still retains carbon aromas add several shots of strong espresso coffee. This is a fix that will partly change the flavour of the soup, however the coffee hides and mellows burnt aromas. If you have had to add alot of coffee again balance this out by adding yet more stock and herbs.

Method: Instant vegetable soup
For whatever reason you've ruined a soup here's a quick 5 minute alternative!
Deep fry sliced onions until brown but not crispy. (Preferably in clean oil, however if you have a fat fryer going with old oil use it anyway then wash the cooked onions under hot water to remove any greasy flavours)
Choose a wide saucepan. (Wider saucepans have more surface area and are thus capable of conducting more heat to a liquid)
Add hot water to the pan and bring to the boil.
Throw into the saucepan a selection of whatever green vegetables you can find in the kitchen along with the deep fried onions
Add vegetable stock
Blend the soup
Allow to boil for 1-2 minutes
Season with salt and pepper
Adjust seasoning: If flavours too deep or bitter add cream
Serve
(Please note: If the soup needs to be thickened blend in cooked or mash potato. If you do not have these ingredients use fresh potato but be aware you will need another 3-4 minutes boiling time to reduce the potato's raw flavour)


Method: Instant french onion soup
Again deep fry some onions
Boil some water in a wide saucepan
Add the stock of your choice, a little gravy powder and some parsley
Blend
Add the onions
Boil for 1-2 minutes
Season with salt and pepper
Serve

Method: Instant asian broth
Boil some water in a wide saucepan
Add beef stock, sliced ginger, fresh garlic, lime juice, soy sauce, chilli, fish sauce or nam plaa, sugar and spring onions
Boil for 1-2 minutes
Drain and remove the solid ingredients
Serve as is and call it an 'asian broth or consomme'
Or
Serve with noodles and some lightly sliced vegetables. Allow the noodles and veg to cook in the hot liquid for 1-2 minutes before serving

Chef Insight :
Soup or 'soupe' was in traditional terms a slice of bread onto which the drippings/ liquid contents of the saucepan or cook pot was poured.