soup maigre

A chef prepares a bowl of soup maigre with fresh vegetables.

Definition

1. Noun:
   • A thin, clear soup made from vegetables: "soup maigre" refers to a light, often meatless soup, traditionally prepared with vegetables, herbs, and sometimes fish, but without rich stocks or meat. It is typically associated with simple, lenten, or frugal cooking.

Usage Examples

• Noun:
  • For a simple dinner, she prepared a bowl of soup maigre with carrots and leeks. (A thin vegetable soup without meat.)
  • During Lent, the monks ate only soup maigre and bread. (A meatless soup eaten as a form of fasting.)

Advanced Usage

• Historical context: "soup maigre" was common in European cuisine, especially during times of religious fasting or when meat was scarce.
  • The recipe for soup maigre called for water, onions, celery, and a pinch of salt. (A basic vegetable-based soup.)

Variants and Related Words

• Maigre (adj): relating to a diet or dish that is meatless, especially as observed in Christian fasting.
  • The maigre meal consisted of fish and vegetables. (A meal without meat.)

Synonyms

• Vegetable soup: a soup made primarily from vegetables.
• Clear soup: a thin, transparent soup without solid ingredients or thickeners.
• Lenten soup: a soup suitable for fasting periods, often meatless.

Related Idioms

• **"Soup maigre" is not used in idioms; it is a specific culinary term.