Basle Flour Soup
Submitted by demky
Traditional Swiss Basle flour soup (Basler Mehlsuppe) made with just butter, flour, and stock. The flour is toasted to a deep chestnut brown for a rich, nutty flavor topped with grated cheese and nutmeg.
YIELD
6 servingsPREP
15 minCOOK
45 minREADY
60 minWith just three core ingredients, this traditional Swiss soup from Basel proves that simplicity can be deeply satisfying.
Butter and flour are cooked together slowly until the roux turns a rich chestnut brown, releasing a toasty, nutty aroma that fills the whole kitchen.
Warm stock gets stirred in, and the whole thing simmers uncovered for 45 minutes until it becomes a velvety, soul-warming bowl.
A grating of nutmeg and a generous handful of cheese on top finish it off beautifully.
This is a beloved Carnival soup in Basel, and legend has it that a young woman couldn’t marry until she could make it properly.
Kitchen Tips
- Stir the flour constantly while browning; walk away for even a moment and it goes from toasty to burnt
- Warm the stock before adding it to the roux to prevent lumps from forming
- The deeper you toast the flour (without burning it), the richer and nuttier the soup will taste
- A sharp Gruyere or Emmental is the traditional cheese topping, but any good Swiss-style cheese works
Ingredients
Directions
Melt the butter (moderate heat) and, stirring constantly, cook the flour to a chestnut brown. Remove the pan from the heat, add the warmed stock, mix well and simmer without a lid on a low heat for 45 minutes.
Season with ground nutmeg and pepper. Serve with grated cheeese.
NOTE: Until quite recently it was said that a young woman could not get married until she could prepare a perfect flour soup.
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