Warming Up A New House with Soup

It's called a house warming for a reason so we thought, what better way to warm a house than with a soup menu? The client had fond memories of parties her parents would throw with a menu of nothing but rich, soul satisfying soups accompanied by cheese plates and homemade breads.


Given that, our menu staples were three very different soups (and one chili) served from heavy saucepans right in the kitchen. It just so happened that the party fell on St. Patrick's Day so I guess you could say we made the party green by using compostable Verterra plates (made with fallen leaves) and cups labeled very simply with "Soup."

Another way we did that was by including an irresistible specialty drink called Green 17. No mystery here. It had 17 ingredients (for the March 17th date) and it was green!

In addition to being a house warming, this event was also a birthday party so dessert required a little special attention. In all, there was a lot to celebrate!

The house had yet to be furnished, so we brought in lounge furniture from Designer 8 Furniture Rental and decorated simply with flowers and candles. But even the luck of the Irish couldn't keep the first rainstorm of the season away.


But what better way to spend a rainy day (or a housewarming) than with friends, soup, and a cozy fire crackling in the fire place?

MENU

THE SOUPS (and one chili)
Served in the kitchen

Turkey Chili
Chunks of turkey with chili spice and white beans
served with chopped green onions and creme fraiche

Chunky Vegetable Soup
a garden of carrots, parsnips, shallots, tomatoes, leeks, potatoes, celery, cauliflower, tender green beans and spinach in a vegetable broth

Spring Sweet Pea Minted Soup
a delicate blend of new season sweet peas and fresh mint

Wild Mushroom Soup
all the great ones were there -- cremini, porcini, shittaake -- together
in a soup and finished with a splash of cream

A LUSCIOUS DISPLAY
of bread and cheese on a country farm table



SWEET ENDINGS

Pear Berry Pie

Toffee Cheesecake Lollipops

Dark Chocolate Coconut Sushi

Petite Limoncello Cup Cake

SPECIALTY COCKTAIL
The Green 17

Square One organic botanical vodka (this alone accounts for nine ingredients), cucumber, kale, ginger, apple, lavender biters, yuzu sour and basil sugar rim

RECIPES

The art of making soup is using the foundation of onion, celery and carrots and sweating it slowly in a little olive oil then adding the main ingredients to the soup you're making with the broth. All of those served this night began with that combination.

Turkey White Bean Chili

1/2 cup vegetable oil
1 quart carrot, diced small
1 quart celery, diced small
1 cup garlic, minced
5 lbs. chunk cut turkey meat, white and dark
3 quarts tomatoes, diced
3 quarts white beans, canned
1/2 cup chili powder
1 Tbl. ground cumin
1 Tbl. oregano, grind between your hands
1 tsp. cayenne
2 poblano chilies, roasted, skinned and seeded
Salt and pepper to taste
4 cups vegetable broth

1. Heat a large pan. Brown turkey. Remove and set aside.
2. Heat oil. Saute onion, carrots, celery and garlic until translucent.
3. Add turkey back to pan.
4. Add tomatoes, beans, seasonings, chilies and broth. Simmer for 1 -2 hours until most of the liquid is absorbed.
5. Taste for seasonings.
Note: This is best if made one day ahead so all the seasonings have time to meld together.

Minted Sweet Pea Soup

2 Tbl. garlic/butter/oil mix
1/4 cup (2 ounces) carrots, diced
1/4 cup (2 ounces) onion, diced
1/4 cup (2 ounces) celery, diced
1-1/4 lbs. (3 cups thawed) frozen or fresh peas
1/4 cup (1/4 ounce) minced mint leaves
3 cups vegetable broth

1. In a saucepan, saute carrots, onions and celery in the garlic-butter-oil mix until translucent and tender.
2. Add peas, mint and broth. Bring to a boil.
3. Simmer for five minutes.
4. Cool a little before pureeing in a blender or with a hand blender.
5. Pass through a colander to remove skins.
6. Season to taste. Chill to store, then reheat to serve.