A Tribute to National Soup Month
It’s the end of January - National Soup Month - and no one knows how good a bowl of hot soup tastes than those East Coasters who have put up with the piles of snow this season. With more to come in the immediate future we thought we’d share some of our old favorites and new finds with you to enjoy throughout the rest of this winter season.
Klee Brasserie in New York always has inventive dishes on its menu - you might remember owner and Chef Daniel Angerer’s Green Pea Soup from this summer which might have seemed like an ordinary soup on paper, but we can assure you that was not the case. It was served as a series of four shooters and, thus, was presented in glasses rather than in a bowl. The inventive shooters were then garnished with a smoky cheese. Now he’s upping the ante with his Kapocha Squash Soup with pretzel croutons and his Cranberry Bean Soup with escarole, rosemary, and ham chips. Chef Angerer can also prepare a vegan take on this soup if you like.
For something a little more traditional we’ve found that a good wonton soup is almost like Mom’s chicken soup - it can cure the winter blues with just one sip. Roughly translated as ’swallowing a cloud’ those little light wontons are just so delicious. One of the best that we’ve had was in Las Vegas at the Mandarin Oriental’s MOzen Bistro. A perfect taste of heaven!
At the W Hotel in Fort Lauderdale Steak 954 serves a truly delicious onion soup. Although one wouldn’t really think of having a piping hot soup filled with melted cheese and topped with black truffles in South Florida it is simply the perfect accompaniment to their Australian Tajima Kobe beef! And, the view isn’t that bad either - situated right on the beach one can dine inside or out overlooking the clear blue Atlantic.
In Chicago, Seasons 52’s executive chef partner John State, a native Chicagoan, knows the power of a steaming cup of soup in the middle of January. “Soup is a staple food in any culture,” said State. “No matter where you’re from, soups are steeped in tradition, and eating it on a freezing winter day is the perfect way to enjoy it.”
Seasons 52 has been celebrating national soup month with the following traditional soups from around the globe, re-created by Chef State, including:
- Chicken Curry (Asia) - Classically called Mulligatawny, this combination of curried chicken, basmati rice and green apples is the perfect blend of sweet, sour and spicy, $5.25
- Chicken Tortilla (Latin America) - Bringing the quintessential blend of Latin flavors, with chicken, roasted chilies, tortillas, peppers, cumin, lime and cilantro, $5.25
- Cioppino (Mediterranean) - Inspired in Italy, this San Francisco style seafood stew is a highly satisfying combination of shrimp, clams, garlic and tomatoes, $5.25
- Chicken Noodle (American) - This classic all-American favorite, with its hearty chicken, noodles and double intense chicken broth will warm from the inside out, $5.25
There’s our round up of soup from the most familiar to the exotic. Now don’t forget - Mom’s chicken soup is always the best - but if she would like to try something a little more exotic below is a recipe Chef John State has graciously provided to us for Mom to try at home - Seasons 52’s at home recipe for Mulligatawny Chicken Curry Soup - and a suggested wine pairing. After all, what fun is soup without a glass of wine!
Chef John State’s at home recipe for Seasons 52’s
Mulligatawny Chicken Curry Soup
SERVES 8 GUESTS
INGREDIENTS
4 TBLS POWDERED MILK
2 TBLS ARROWROOT (A THICKENER)
1 TBLS LEMON JUICE
4 TBLS ORANGE JUICE
2 ½ TBLS COLD WATER
1 TSP OIL, EXTRA VIRGIN
½ CUP YELLOW ONIONS, PEELED ½” DICE
¼ CUP CARROTS, PEELED ½” DICE
½ CUP POTATOES, IDAHO, PEELED, 1/2″ DICE
1 TBLS GARLIC, MINCED
2 PINCHES CUMIN, TOASTED, GROUND
1 TSP SALT, KOSHER
1 CUP APPLES, RED DELICIOUS, WASHED, PEELED, ½” DICE
1 TBLS CURRY POWDER
1 QUART + ¼ CUP CHICKEN BROTH
1 ½ TBLS ORANGE BLOSSOM HONEY
1 CUP BONELESS, SKINLESS COOKED CHICKEN BREAST SMALL DICE (OPTIONAL)
1 CUP STEAMED BASMATI RICE
STEP 1
4 TBLS POWDERED MILK
2 TBLS ARROWROOT (A THICKENER)
1 TBLS LEMON JUICE
4 TBLS ORANGE JUICE
2 ½ TBLS COLD WATER
- IN A MIXING BOWL PLACE POWDERED MILK, AND ARROWROOT.
- WHISK IN LEMON AND ORANGE JUICE, WITH WATER.
- MIX UNTIL WELL INCORPORATED.
- SET ASIDE UNTIL NEEDED
STEP 2
1 TSP OIL, EXTRA VIRGIN
½ CUP YELLOW ONIONS, PEELED ½” DICE
¼ CUP CARROTS, PEELED ½” DICE
½ CUP POTATOES, IDAHO, PEELED, 1/2″ DICE
1 TBLS GARLIC, MINCED
2 PINCHES CUMIN, TOASTED, GROUND
1 TSP SALT, KOSHER
1 CUP APPLES, RED DELICIOUS, WASHED, PEELED, ½” DICE
1 TBLS CURRY POWDER
1 QUART + ¼ CUP CHICKEN BROTH
1 ½ TBLS ORANGE BLOSSOM HONEY
STEP 3
1 CUP BONELESS, SKINLESS COOKED CHICKEN BREAST SMALL DICE (OPTIONAL)
1 CUP STEAMED BASMATI RICE
- In a heavy bottom pot, wider than taller, add olive oil, over medium heat.
- When oil is hot, add onions, carrots, potatoes, garlic, cumin, and salt. Cook, while stirring, with a wooden spoon or heat proof spatula, about 4 minutes,
until vegetables begin to soften.
- Add apples, curry powder. Stir. Again, cook for about 4 minutes, softening the vegetables, perfuming the spices.
- Add chicken broth and honey. Bring to a boil. Then simmer for 20 minutes. Stir at 10 minute mark.
- Whisk in the reserved ingredients from Step 1 until well incorporated. Cook 2 minutes.
- Turn off the heat, blend ingredients with a blender or immersion blender until smooth.
- Taste, adjust seasoning as desired. Stir in chicken and rice. Serve hot.
Seasons 52’s Master Sommelier, George Miliotes recommends a Riesling for the wine pairing with the soup. More specific a German Riesling or an Austrian Gruner Veltliner.
- For the Riesling Seasons 52 offers the Selbach-Oster Kabinett Riesling
- For the Gruner Veltliner Seasons 52 offers the Hirsch.
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