Sago Soup is a traditional British recipe, based on Eliza Acton's recipe of 1845, for a classic soup made from a veal stock, bouillon or clear gravy soup base enriched with sago that's flavoured with Harvey's sauce, cayenne pepper, lemon juice and sherry. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Sago Soup.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from Eliza Acton's 1845 volume Modern Cookery, the first classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
SAGO SOUP.
Wash in several waters, and float off the dirt from six ounces of fine pearl sago; put it into tree quarts of good cold gravy-stock; let it stew gently from half to three quarters of an hour, and stir it occasionally, that it may not burn nor stick to the stewpan. A quarter of an ounce more of sago to each pint of liquid, will thicken it to the consistence of peas-soup. It may be flavoured with half a wineglassful of Harvey's sauce, as much cayenne as it may need, the juice of half a lemon, an ounce of sugar, and two glasses of sherry ; or these may be omitted, and good beef-broth may be substituted for the gravy-soup, for a simple family dinner, and for an invalid; or, again, it may be converted into inexpensive white soup by the addition of some cream smoothly mixed with a dessertspoonful of arrow-root, or of thick cream and new milk in equal proportions. Veal broth would be the most appropriate for this, or it might be made with half veal and half mutton.
Sago, 6 oz.; soup, 3 quarts : 30 to 45 minutes.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients:
80g pearl sago
1.5l veal stock or bouillon or consommé or gravy soup
2 tbsp Harvey's sauce
1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
juice of 1/2 lemon
1 tbsp brown sugar
150ml dry sherry
4 tbsp single cream
Method:
Wash the sago throughly then place in a pan with the cold soup base. Bring slowly to a simmer and cook gently for about 35 minutes, stirring gently, or until the sago has swollen and the soup is thick.
Stir in the Harvey's sauce, cayenne pepper, lemon juice, sugar and sherry. Allow to just heat through, ladle into warmed soup bowls, garnish with the cream and serve.
