Recipe modification.

I have a soups recipe that calls for a cup or flour to be mixed with sour cream and water as a thickening agent. Would it compromise integrity if I used far less flour? It's almost like gelatin after it cools. Thanks!

epicoryian
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5 Comments

LeBec F. January 7, 2014
epi, your link didn't work for me but this does:
http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/dill-pickle-soup-recipe/index.html
Few things irk me more than a recipe with major mistakes. I feel quite certain that the creator of this soup or the transcriber for food network-- made mistakes here. No WAY can i imagine 1 CUP of flour for this. he must have meant 1/4 cup or something. you just don't use 1 CUP of flour to thicken 5 cups of liquid,!unless you're making Play Do!.... Here are my suggestions to make the soup have some flavor, and body. First of all, use a stock- chicken or beef; NOT water. Second, sautee your veggies in butter to caramelize them and bring out their essence. 3) add some herbs- thyme, bay leaf- at the last minute or so of sauteeing the veggies, and leave them in.
Do not add sour cream til the very end. Gradually whisk 1 1/2 c. stock into 1/4 c. flour to make a paste.Add this slowly into soup, whisking to keep from lumping. Bring to simmer, at which point, soup won't get any thicker, and raw flour taste should have disappeared/been cooked out. If you want the soup thicker, repeat the flour slurry method, adding some and bringing to a simmer to check the thickness. Taste and correct seasoning as needed. Turn off heat. Whisk in sour cream.

You will find similar flavors in recipes for beet borscht that include a bit of vinegar.
 
bigpan January 6, 2014
Yes, add when the soup is cool, but, you also need to bring to a light boil to "cook" the flour and get the raw flour taste out of the soup. That is the process that will thicken it. If it gets too thick, add in some more stock.
 
Pegeen January 6, 2014
You could try a few things:
- Use 1/2 the amount of recommended flour with the sour cream.
- In a separate bowl, mix a cup of sour cream with a little flour (2 TBSPN). To that, add 2 cups of the soup mixture - cooled. Whisk together with the sour cream and flour mixture. (The soup must be cool: if it's hot, it will curdle the sour cream.)
 
Pegeen January 6, 2014
Do you have a link for the recipe, or can you say more about the ingredients in the rest of the recipe?
 
epicoryian January 6, 2014
Here you go.

http://noblepig.com/2013/03/dill-pickle-soup/
 
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