The leaves are peaking, the air is crisp, and harvest vegetables are at their best. This means, of course, that it’s time to make soup!
These chefs from a few of the North Shore’s most popular eateries have shared their best recipes with us. So start cooking, and enjoy.
Bluestone’s Butternut Squash Soup
Bluestone owner Jennifer Enright offers their take on butternut squash soup. “This soup is a fall favorite at Bluestone,” says Enright, and since this Evanston restaurant is always packed with locals, you know it must be good.
Serves 4
- 4 ounces unsalted butter
- 1/2 onion, diced
- 1 carrot, peeled and diced
- 1 clove garlic, chopped
- 1 sprig of fresh thyme, chopped
- 1 medium butternut squash, peeled, seeded, and chopped into 1-inch cubes
- 1 quart chicken stock (can substitute vegetable stock)
- 1 tablespoon honey
- Ground cinnamon to taste
Directions:
1. In a large saucepan, melt butter over medium flame.
2. Add onion, carrot, garlic and thyme and saute until tender. Add squash, chicken stock, cinnamon and honey. Cook until squash is tender.
3. In batches, pour soup into blender and blend until smooth.
Beef Mushroom Barley Soup
Betsy Simson, owner/director of Corner Cooks and Jerry’s in Winnetka, made this Beef Mushroom Barley soup earlier in the fall and says it’s “the perfect dinner soup… It makes me feel like someone is taking care of me.” Simson adds, “This soup is best the next day when all the flavors can relax together—but once your kitchen begins to smell like heaven, you might not be able to wait.” She suggests that you serve it with crusty bread and a great cheese.
Serves 4
- 3/4-1 pound beef stew meat, cut in 1/2-inch cubes
- Salt and freshly ground pepper
- 1 tablespoon olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic, chopped fine
- 1 cup chopped onions
- 1/2 cup each chopped carrots and celery
- 1/2 pound of white mushrooms, chopped fine
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon dried thyme (or 1 tablespoon fresh)
- 1 cup barley
- 1 quart beef broth
- Secret ingredient: 1/4 cup Marsala wine
Directions:
1. Salt and pepper the beef stew meat.
2. Heat a Dutch oven over medium heat. Add olive oil, and when hot, add beef in batches so you do not overcrowd pan. You don’t want to “boil” the meat; you want to brown it. Remove meat with a slotted spoon to a bowl and reserve. Repeat with next batch.
3. To that pan add: garlic, onions, carrots and celery and sauté until soft. Add mushrooms and sauté for a few minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
4. Add the beef back to the pan and mix together.
5. Throw in the bay leaf and sprinkle with the thyme. If you are using fresh thyme add that to the last 1/2 hour of cooking.
6. Add barley and mix.
7. Add beef broth and Marsala and bring to a boil, then lower heat, cover with lid and simmer for about 2 hours.
Kale and Spinach Soup
Chef Sarah Stegner and her partner George Bumbaris of Prairie Grass Café in Northbrook serve up this healthy harvest soup. “I really like this soup with a slice of toasted multi-grain baguette, crumbled fresh goat cheese and maybe some crisp bacon over the top!” Stegner says.
Serves 4
- 1 pound Lacinato Kale (remove stems, and it should yield about 1/2 pound)
- 1/2 pound spinach
- 1 cup chopped onion
- 1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 4 cups chicken stock, heated (can substitute vegetable stock)
- 1 tablespoon butter
Directions:
1. In boiling salted water, blanch the kale until tender, then drain kale and set aside. Repeat blanching method with the spinach. Squeeze both kale and spinach to remove any excess water.
2. In a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, sauté the onions with salt and the chili pepper in olive oil until the onions are tender and golden brown. Add the kale & spinach and sauté. Then add the hot stock to the pan.
3. Bring the stock to a boil and simmer for a few minutes. Season to taste. Add the butter and blend soup in batches in a blender. Adjust seasoning. Serve hot.
Note: Blending hot liquids in a blender can create steam and pressure. Carefully cover the top of the blender so it does not splatter—but do not seal to the point that pressure cannot escape. Repeat this until the soup is all blended. It’s easier and safer when the blender is not filled to the top.
French Onion Soup
Thanks to this recipe from Chef Michael Gottlieb, now you’ll be able to recreate Bistro Bordeaux’s famed French Onion Soup. Winter just got a whole lot friendlier.
Serves 6
- 1 batch Caramelized Onions (recipe follows)
- 2 quarts veal stock or beef stock
- 1/2 cup sherry vinegar
- 2 tablespoons kosher salt
- 12 thick slices of baguette toast (2 per serving)
- 1 1/2 cups shredded Gruyere cheese (Gottlieb recommends Roth Kase Grand Cru)
- 6 slices Emmenthal cheese
Directions:
1. Combine caramelized onion and veal stock in large pot. Slowly reduce to desired consistency, about 2 hours. Skim top of soup and stir frequently so the soup does not stick or burn.
2. Add sherry vinegar and season with sea salt to taste.
3. Portion soup into 6 individual crocks. For each, place 2 pieces of crusty bread on top of soup and top with 1/4 cup of the shredded Gruyere and then 1 slice of Emmenthal cheese. Brown the cheese under broiler and serve.
Caramelized Onions
- 2 1/2 pounds onions
- 2 tablespoons butter
- Sachet (thyme, bay, peppercorn & parsley in a bouquet garni bag)
- 1 head garlic (split)
- 2 cups sherry cooking wine
- 2 cups Madeira cooking wine
Directions:
1. Peel and julienne onions.
2. In a large wide pot, melt butter and sweat half of the onions over high heat. Before the first half begins to caramelize, add remaining onions. Once the onions have softened, add the garlic and sachet.
3. Reduce heat to low and caramelize for 2-3 hours. Stir frequently to prevent the onions from sticking and burning. After the onions have taken on a dark rich caramelization, remove onions and set aside.
4. In the same pot, deglaze pan, add wines and reduce Sherry/Madeira cooking wine together by 2/3rd. Combine wine reduction with onions and cool overnight.
