This hearty soup offers the perfect segue from summer to autumn, making use of those last fresh ears of corn from the farmer’s market. The chipotle and chorizo sausage add a subtle, smoky heat and spice combination that is a perfect foil for the soup’s creamy richness. You can also substitute frozen corn if winter leaves you yearning for a belly-warming bowl of goodness.

Serves 4

Ingredients

4 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 small chorizo sausages (dried)
3 1/2 cups fresh corn kernels (can substitute frozen)
1 large onion, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, finely chopped
1 1/4 cups chicken stock
2 1/2 cups heavy cream
1 (or more) chipotle pepper, canned, packed in adobo sauce
1/2 teaspoon ground cumin
Salt
Cilantro, chopped, for garnish

Preparation

Melt the butter in a sauce pot over medium-low heat. Add the chorizo and corn, turning to coat. Cook for about 15 minutes until the mixture starts to brown slightly. Add the onion and garlic, stirring frequently, until the onion is soft and the mixture begins to stick.

Remove from heat, add the chicken stock and scrape the bottom of the pan to loosen the caramelized pieces. Using an immersion blender, blend some or all of the mixture, depending upon your preference, for a chunky or smooth puree.

Add the cream and place the pot on medium-low heat. Bring almost to a boil (when bubbles start to form around the edges of the pot). Season with a pinch of salt and allow the soup to bubble gently until it is reduced by about 1/4.

Finely chop the chipotle pepper into a mash and add a tablespoon at a time to taste. Continue cooking for 5 more minutes.

Serve with chopped cilantro as a garnish to add a citrusy sparkle of flavor.

Recipe & photo: Jennifer Iannolo

One of our favorite uses for the delicious pumpkin, this fall soup never fails to satisfy. The addition of sherry elevates the dish to something sublime. For the ne plus ultra of soups, serve with a small dollop of foie gras mousse, or drizzle whole wheat toast points with truffle oil.

This recipe is featured in the Harvest Celebration Dinner Party menu in our Gilded Fork: Entertaining at Home cookbook!

6 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 leeks, including light green parts, sliced and thoroughly rinsed
1 celery stalk, diced
1 small onion, diced
3 ½ cups diced, peeled pumpkin
1 bay leaf
2 sprigs of fresh thyme
2 fresh sage leaves
2 quarts chicken stock
1 tablespoon kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper, to taste
3 Tablespoons Fino sherry

[Chef’s Note: Tie the bay leaf, thyme sprigs and sage leaves together into a bouquet garni, or wrap into a sachet using cheesecloth, so that it can be removed easily at the end of the cooking time.]

Equipment

Medium soup pot
Immersion blender

Preparation

In a medium soup pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks, garlic, celery and onion. Cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until the onion is translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Add the pumpkin, herbs and stock and bring to a boil. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook for 20 minutes, or until the pumpkin is tender and cooked through.

Remove the bouquet garni. Purée the soup with a handheld immersion blender until no lumps remain. If necessary, pass the soup through a sieve. Return the soup to the pot and add the sherry. Bring the soup back to a simmer. Taste and adjust the seasoning. Serve in warmed soup bowls with croutons or a swirl of cream.

Variations

You can dress this up in many ways, including adding a dollop of foie gras mousse with truffled toast points, as mentioned, or drizzle with a balsamic and maple reduction, a dollop of harvest spiced crème fraîche, or pepitas (mexican spiced pumpkin seeds).

Recipe by Mark Tafoya

Fresh green spinach is complemented by a light chicken stock and flavorful tortellini. This easy-to-prepare soup is a great starter for any meal but makes a terrific light dinner with a side of salad and a crusty loaf of Italian bread.

4 servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
¼ cup sweet onion, diced
¼ cup carrots, diced
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups chicken stock
1 large bunch fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
salt and pepper, to taste
½ pound tortellini
grated parmesan cheese, for garnish

Preparation

Heat a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the extra virgin olive oil and heat until shimmering. Add the diced onion, carrots and garlic and sauté until the onion is soft and translucent. Add the chicken stock and simmer vegetables for about 8 – 10 minutes, until carrots are tender.

Add the spinach and continue simmering the soup for about 5 minutes more.

Meanwhile, heat a large stockpot with water and bring to a boil. Add the tortellini and cook for 5 – 8 minutes until the tortellini rise to the top. Strain and add the tortellini to the soup. Serve hot with your favorite grated cheese.

[Chef’s note: It is recommended that you cook the tortellini separately from the soup so the pasta doesn’t soak up the soup stock. If you plan to prepare the soup in advance, you can make the soup base and add the tortellini right before serving.]

Recipe and photo by Lia Soscia

Rich and creamy artichoke bisque is a delightful way to start a springtime meal. Flavorful, fresh artichoke hearts are complemented by rich roasted garlic, Hungarian sweet paprika and a pinch of fresh scallion greens.

4 servings

Ingredients

4 fresh artichokes
3 cups water
4 cups vegetable stock
2 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
4 cloves garlic
1 cup sweet onion, finely chopped
½ cup heavy cream
½ cup whole milk
½ teaspoon Hungarian Sweet Paprika
salt and pepper to taste

Equipment

Large saucepan
Paring knife
Immersion or tabletop blender

Preparation

Prepare the artichokes:
Simmer clean, whole artichokes in salted boiling water for about 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick can be easily inserted in the base of the artichoke. Drain and cool under cold running water. When cool enough to handle, remove all the outer leaves down to the inner choke. Scrape the choke from the artichoke heart using a small spoon. Chop the artichoke coarsely.

To make the bisque:
In a large saucepan, melt the butter with the olive oil. Add the whole garlic cloves and sauté over medium-low heat until soft and golden but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the onions and continue to sauté until the onions are translucent. Add the flour and mix well to form a roux. Cook the flour mixture for 3 minutes, stirring constantly, then slowly add the vegetable stock while stirring to mix well and prevent lumps from forming. Add the artichokes and cook for 3 minutes more, then carefully blend the mixture with an immersion or tabletop blender to a smooth consistency. Return to the stove and add the heavy cream and milk and blend well. Continue to heat over medium low heat for a few minutes. Sprinkle with paprika and add salt and pepper to taste. Serve immediately.

This comforting Autumn soup satisfies the seasonal yearning for earthy comforts with a hint of the sweet playfulness of the harvest.  The dried apples give the soup an interesting textural quality, and intensify the flavor, adding sweet notes to the bright earthiness of the humble turnip.

Makes eight (8) 1½ cup servings

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
3 cups chopped leek
¾ cup chopped shallots
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
4 cups turnips, peeled and diced (about 1 ½ pounds)
½ cup dried apples, chopped
3 cups apple juice, fresh pressed with pulp
1 cup low sodium chicken broth
½ cup cream (optional)
Crème fraîche, to garnish (optional)
Salt and freshly ground pepper, to taste
Chopped fresh chives, to garnish
Nutmeg Cheddar Breadsticks (recipe below)

Preparation

Melt butter in a large stock pot or Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add leeks, shallots, and nutmeg, and sweat for 3-4 minutes.  Do not brown.  Add turnips, dried apples, apple juice, and broth, and bring to a low boil.  Reduce heat, cover, and simmer until the turnips and apples are tender but not mushy, about 30-40 minutes.

Strain off about half the cooking liquid and reserve.  Purée the solids and the remaining liquid with an immersion blender, or in batches in a food processor.  Return the puree to the pot, add back the reserved cooking liquid a little at a time until the soup reaches the desired consistency, and heat through.  If desired, stir in the cream, along with salt and pepper, to taste.

Service

To serve, ladle into individual heated bowls or cups.  Add a dollop of crème fraîche, if desired, and garnish with a sprinkle of chopped chives and freshly grated nutmeg, to taste.  Serve with Nutmeg Cheddar Breadsticks (below).

Nutmeg Cheddar Breadsticks

Makes about eighteen (18) ¼-inch sticks, or a dozen ½-inch sticks

Ingredients

1 cup flour
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 teaspoon baking powder
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, lightly chilled
Olive oil, for brushing
3 teaspoons freshly ground nutmeg, divided
½ cup finely grated sharp cheddar cheese, divided

Preparation

Preheat oven to 350° F.

In a food processor, pulse the flour, salt, baking powder, half the cheese, and half the nutmeg together until well combined.  Cut in the butter by pulsing until the mixture resembles coarse meal.  Leave the machine running, and slowly add 1/4 cup ice water until the dough comes together.  If necessary, add another tablespoon or so of water.

[Chef’s Note: To grate a measured amount of nutmeg, grate over a sheet of parchment paper with a crease in it.  Then lift the paper by the ends, and transfer into a container for measuring.]

Turn the ball of dough out onto a lightly floured surface.  Smoothing it out, form it into a rectangle, and gently roll it out into a ¼-inch thick sheet.  Cut the dough lengthwise into ¼-inch wide strips, or ½-inch wide strips if you prefer thicker sticks.

Gently roll each stick over a lightly floured surface.  The sticks will naturally lengthen as you roll them, so be careful not to stretch them too thinly.  Transfer to baking sheets, side by side, but not touching.  Brush each stick lightly with olive oil and sprinkle the remaining grated cheese and nutmeg over the sticks.

[Chef’s Note: It helps to press the ends of each stick down gently onto the baking sheet so the sticks don’t curl up as they bake.  You can also turn these simple sticks into twists by twisting the ends in opposite directions before placing on the baking sheet.]

Bake about 12-15 minutes, until firm and starting to show a little color.  Transfer to racks to cool.  The sticks can be stored in an airtight plastic bag or container for up to 3 days.

Variations

You can replace the nutmeg and cheddar in the recipe with the following spice and cheese combinations:

Cumin and Monterey Jack: 2 teaspoons cumin and ½ cup Monterey Jack
Rosemary and Montasio: 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh rosemary and ½ cup Montasio
Oregano and Manchego: 1 teaspoon dried oregano and ½ cup Manchego
Thyme and Pecorino: 2 teaspoons fresh thyme (or 1 teaspoon dried), and ½ cup Pecorino

Recipe and photo by Mark Tafoya

This recipe is exceedingly simple: you can prepare it in advance, and serve it as the first course of a dinner party.  The flavor profile will be perfect for stimulating the appetite for the rest of a late Spring meal.  The advantage of this recipe is that it can be served year-round, either warm in the cold months, or chilled in the Spring or Summer. It also freezes well, so you can even keep it for those cold Winter nights!

This soup’s bright green color is enhanced by the addition of uncooked spinach at the end of cooking. The tartly contrasting yuzu custard (not shown) adds a sharp yet creamy tanginess to the finish. Yuzu juice is available in Asian specialty markets in bottled form. It’s sometimes possible to find fresh yuzu citrus, but only in a domestic variety from California ; Japanese Yuzu can only be imported from Japan in bottled form.

6 servings

Ingredients

For the asparagus soup:
2 tablespoons butter or extra-virgin olive oil
1 ½ cups finely chopped yellow onion
Pinch finely ground salt
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 bay leaf
6 cups chicken stock
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 pounds asparagus, tough ends removed, chopped
2 teaspoons finely chopped fresh thyme leaves
2 cups tightly packed fresh spinach leaves
1 cup heavy cream, chilled
juice and freshly grated zest of 1 lemon

For the yuzu custard:
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons sake
Finely ground salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons Yuzu juice (See Chef’s Note)
¼ cup heavy cream, whipped to soft peaks

Preparation

For the soup:
Heat the butter or olive oil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the onions and stir to coat. Lower the heat and add a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the onions are soft and translucent, about 10 minutes, but do not brown. Add the potato, bay leaf and chicken stock. Bring to a boil, then lower the heat to a simmer. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper, if necessary. Cook until the potatoes are tender, about 10 minutes. Add the chopped asparagus and thyme. Return the stock to a simmer. Cook until the asparagus is just tender.

Remove the bay leaf, and strain away about half of the cooking liquid, reserving. Add the spinach to the remaining soup, and quickly purée using an immersion blender. Purée until the soup is totally smooth, with no shreds of spinach remaining. You may add back cooking liquid a little at a time until the soup reaches the desired consistency. You may also use a blender, working in batches, blending until the soup reaches an even consistency. Add the cream, lemon juice and zest, and season with salt and pepper.

[Chef’s Note: If you plan on making the soup a day ahead of service, you should quickly cool it using an ice bath, and to help retain the fresh green color, add a spoonful of powdered ascorbic acid, or vitamin C when puréeing. The quicker you cool it, the more it will keep its green color.]

To make the yuzu custard:
Bring 2 inches of water to a simmer in a large saucepan. In a non-reactive bowl large enough to rest in the saucepan, whisk together the egg yolks and sake. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Set the bowl inside the saucepan but not touching the water, and whisk constantly, adding yuzu juice little by little until the mixture has thickened to point where the whisk can leave a clean trail on the bottom of the bowl, about 3 to 5 minutes. Remove the bowl from the heat. Whisk vigorously for 1 minute to cool and thicken a little. Add 1/3 of the whipped cream. Whisk until smooth and then fold in the remaining whipped cream, being careful to keep the mixture light and airy.

Service

To serve, warm the soup over medium heat. Ladle into warmed bowls. Use 2 medium spoons to form quenelles of the yuzu custard and garnish each bowl of soup with one spoonful.

This rich and silky soup highlights the sharp flavor of a nicely veined blue cheese. It starts with a velouté made with roux and chicken stock, a foundational technique useful for many classic sauces. Here we add beer and cheese to the velouté to make a surprisingly satisfying and silky soup for an early fall evening.

4 servings

Ingredients

¼ cup butter
8 tablespoons all-purpose flour
6 cups flavorful chicken stock, heated
1 bottle Hefeweizen-style unfiltered wheat beer
6 ounces Maytag blue cheese, crumbled and divided
Salt and pepper, to taste
4 sprigs watercress, to garnish

[Chef’s Note: Hefeweizen is a German style wheat ale. Made with the addition of weizen yeasts, the beer is unfiltered and has a great deal of character. Wheat beers are usually very malty in taste, with fruity notes. Any beer can be used, but as with cooking with wine, it’s best to use a quality beer which you would enjoy drinking on its own.]

Equipment

Soup pot
Medium saucepan
Whisk
Fine mesh sieve

Preparation

Melt the butter in saucepan over low heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring constantly, until the roux turns golden.

[Chef’s Note: Equal parts flour and fat, cooked together, are called a roux, which is a classic preparation used to thicken soups, stews, and other dishes. Depending upon how long you cook the roux, it will have different levels of thickening power; the longer you cook it, the less thickening power it has, but the more caramelized flavor it will bring to the finished dish. In this case, we want a blond roux.]

Add the heated chicken stock to the roux slowly, in stages, being sure to return the roux to a smooth paste or slurry after each addition. When all the chicken stock has been incorporated, return the pan to medium heat and cook until the stock has thickened into a velouté. Reduce by half, until about the consistency of heavy cream.

[Chef’s Note: Meaning “velvety” in French, a velouté is one of the grand sauces, elaborated with white stocks (chicken, veal, or seafood) and roux, and the base of many soups and finished sauces.]

If there are any lumps, strain the velouté through a fine sieve into a soup pot over medium heat. Add the beer and stir to incorporate, bringing to a low simmer. Add 4 ounces of the blue cheese and stir until the cheese has fully melted and incorporated into the soup. Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.

Service

Pour into individual bowls, crumble the remaining blue cheese in the center of each bowl and garnish with a sprig of watercress. Serve immediately.

Variations

You may garnish with crumbled crispy bacon instead of the watercress for an even more robust flavor.

The basic recipe can also be adapted using any creamy, flavorful cheese. A nicely ripened brie would make for a lovely soup, or a combination of Parmigiano Reggiano and white cheddar.

You may also replace the beer with a dry white wine, or make the soup chunky with the addition of diced carrots, celery and mushrooms, adding them just before the cheese and simmering until the vegetables are al dente.

Recipe by Mark Tafoya

Making the stock from scratch adds a dimension of flavor to a completed bisque that you really can’t achieve from a store-bought brand.  This recipe is the basic foundation on which all seafood stocks can be made – all you need to do is substitute the lobster for another seafood.  Stock can be prepared ahead of time and frozen so you can create a quick Lobster Bisque in minutes.  Bisque always makes an elegant addition to any meal.

6 servings

Ingredients

4 cups water
2 celery stalks
1 carrot
1 onion, quartered
3 cloves garlic, minced
2 bay leaves
4 sprigs fresh parsley
1 teaspoon salt
6 whole black peppercorns
2 lobster tails

Equipment

4 to 6 quart stockpot
fine mesh strainer
large bowl
liquid measuring cup
measuring spoons

Preparation

Cut the celery and carrot into 3 large chunks. Fill the 4 to 6-quart stockpot with the water to cover the lobster tails (about 4 cups). Add the celery, carrot, quartered onion, minced garlic, bay leaves, black peppercorns and salt. Bring the stock to a boil and add the lobster tails. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the lobster tails are done.

[Chef’s Note: The lobster tails will start to turn pink as they cook. Since they are usually thick, it will take at least 10 minutes for them to cook through. But watch that you don’t overcook them or they can become tough].

Remove the lobster tails from the stock and set aside to cool. While the lobster tails are cooling increase the heat to high and allow the stock to reduce to half the volume. Strain stock into the fine mesh strainer set over the large bowl. Reserve 2 cups of the stock and discard the vegetables.

When the lobster tails are cool to the touch, remove the lobster meat from the shells and coarsely chop. Set aside.

Variations

Substitute a ½ pound of shrimp or a pound of clams for the lobster to create a different seafood base. Watch timing as shrimp and clams cook quickly.
Recipe by Lia Soscia

Freshly made Lobster Bisque is a delicious start to any summer meal.  This rich and creamy version can be made in minutes using succulent lobster tails.  This saves preparation time, but still lends the same depth of flavor.  Make this appetizer even more interesting by serving the bisque in small shot glasses.

6 servings

Ingredients

2 cups lobster stock (see recipe)
2 cups coarsely chopped cooked lobster meat
4 tablespoons butter
1 onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2 shallots, minced
½ cup flour
¼ cup dry sherry
2 tablespoons tomato paste
3 cups half-and-half
¼ teaspoon fresh ground white pepper
1 teaspoon salt
¼ teaspoon paprika
1 dash cayenne pepper
1 cup crème fraîche

Equipment

4 quart saucepan

Preparation

Add the butter to the 4 -quart saucepan and heat on medium high for 2 minutes. Add the chopped onion, garlic and shallots and sauté over medium heat until the onion becomes translucent. Sprinkle the flour a tablespoon at a time into vegetables while also adding small amounts of reserved lobster stock to keep the mixture from becoming too dry to mix.

Whisk the remaining cup of reserved lobster stock into the flour vegetable mixture. Whisk in the sherry and tomato paste and cook over medium heat stirring constantly until thickened.

Reduce the heat to low and whisk in the half-and-half, pepper, paprika and cayenne pepper. Simmer for 10 minutes. Add the lobster and continue to cook the bisque for another 2 minutes until the lobster meat is heated through. Adjust the seasonings to taste.

Service

Spoon the slightly cooled Lobster Bisque into shot glasses or other small cordial size glasses. Place a dollop of the crème fraîche on top and place a piece of lobster meat on top of the crème fraîche. Serve immediately.

Recipe by Lia Soscia