Cheese Rinds in Soups, Stews, Sauces, etc.
You (Milk Street) sometimes recommend putting parmesan cheese rinds in some soups, stews, and sauces to add flavor; but what kind of soups, stews, and sauces does this work for? Or rather, are there any types of soups, stews, etc. that you would NOT add the rinds to? How about broths and stocks? How much (by weight) of the rinds versus how much (quantity) soup, stews, etc. are we talking about (I have quite a collection growing in my freezer). Would this work with any other types of cheese rinds? Thank you!
Comments
Hi William - In general, I'd only recommend using the rind of a hard cheese. The rind does break down and disintegrate quite a bit so a softer cheese would leave a lot of cheese residue in the soup/stew. We would also only recommend adding a parmesan rind to a soup/stew with a complementary flavor profile, such as something with Italian or Mediterranean flavors. If Parmesan sounds like it makes sense with what you are making, then go for it, and don't worry about specific sizes or ratios. Best, Lynn C.
The Italian tradition of cheese rinds in soup, would exclude using them in fish or shellfish based soups. In fact, although it is commonly done in the French kitchen, Italian kitchens with no exception I can think of, ever mix dairy with seafood. That means no pasta with creme sauce and clams or shrimp, for instance. Also no milk-based chowders and definitely no cheese on your linguine with clam sauce, if you want admission thru the gates of Italian heaven. It's a no-no!
As far as proportions go, a little goes a long way. If I'm making a 16 quart pot of chicken stock, I will add 3 or 4 rinds. Sometimes less, depending out how pure I want to make it. It really isn't about getting the parmesan flavor, just about the depth it adds to everything. Also, at the risk of changing the color, I add a tablespoon or so of good soy. Again, not about getting the flavor, but the depth it adds.