A Trio of Hearty Winter Soups

In the mood for a winter warm-up? Try making hearty soups that take the chill off. Read on for recipes from Kimpton chefs that put their own spin on celebrated soups. Heat up the oven, grab a spoon and warm up!

French Onion Soup – Serves 8-10

Broth Ingredients:

• 2 ½ lb. beef short rib
• 1 onion, chopped
• 1 carrot, chopped
• 1 celery, chopped
• ½ head of garlic, cut crosswise
• 1 bouquet garni (5 sprigs of thyme, 5 sprigs of sage, 2 bay leaves tied together)
• 5 peppercorns
• 10 cups beef stock

Directions:

1. Combine all of the ingredients in a large pot and poach the beef short rib.
2. When it is tender remove it and strain the remaining broth.

Remaining Ingredients:

• 3 1/2 onions thinly sliced
• Beef stock from the short rib
• Fresh thyme
• 1/2 cup dry sherry
• Salt and pepper to taste

Directions:

1. Add the onions to a large pot and caramelize with 2 cups of the beef stock.
2. Add the remaining stock and thyme to taste and simmer for 20 minutes.
3. Add the sherry and salt and pepper to taste.
4. Cool down immediately and serve.
5. Option to top with broiled gruyere cheese on a crostini.

Potato Stout Soup – Serves 2

Ingredients:

• 1 cup onion, chopped
• ½ cup leeks, rinsed and chopped
• ½ cup celery, chopped
• ½ cup carrots, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, smashed
• 2 ½ Yukon Gold potatoes, cut in equal size
• 1 cup coconut milk, or heavy cream
• 12 oz Guinness bottle, or comparable stout
• Vegetable stock, enough to cover vegetables by 3 inches
• Salt & pepper, to taste

Directions:

1. Sauté the vegetables & garlic in a sauce pot on medium-high heat.
2. Add salt and pepper and continue to cook without browning the vegetables for about 5 minutes.
3. Add potatoes, coconut milk or cream, stout & vegetable stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer until the potatoes are cooked through.
4. Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt & pepper.
6. Garnish with sharp cheddar cheese and pumpernickel croutons.

Kabocha Soup – Serves 4-6

Ingredients:

• 1 kabocha squash, peeled, seeded and diced
• 1 yellow onion, diced
• 3 celery stalks, diced
• 4 cloves garlic
• 1 leeks washed and diced
• 1tbs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1cup white wine
• 1cup cream
• 1qt water
• Salt
• White pepper
• 1 tsp butter
• Boiled crawfish
• Caramelized turnip
• Cooked Andoullie sausage

Directions:

1. Heat a pot to medium heat caramelize onions with celery, leeks, and garlic.
2. Then add thyme, bay leafs, and deglaze with white wine, reduce it by half.
3. Once it’s reduced add the water and squash cook until squash is tender.
4. Puree and run through a chinois.
5. Finish with cream, season with salt and pepper to taste.

To serve:

In a sauté pan heat crawfish, turnip, and sausage with butter. Once warmed, place a ring mold inside a bowl, add meat mixture, remove ring, pour soup around the mold. Serve with bread.

What are your go-to winter soups?