Catering and Soup go together during winter and Holiday Parties!!

Winter food is served to take the chill off,, warm the soul, and gather the family…  We try to do this with catered events, allowing the host to relax and entertain while guests feel the warmth and hospitality of a job well done.   The best way to start is with a bowl of nice hot homemade soup.  With the diversity in today’s palate’s, the best way to entertain them all is to offer a simple soup bar.  Be like the caterer and use a soup tureen (these can be rented from any party rental company) with a host of delectable toppings.  This will certainly be the hit of your winter holiday party!

A nice and simple twist on a traditional chowder is to add lots of seafood and create a bountiful seafood chowder.  Either red Manhattan, or a real New England chowda!  Mussels, clams, shrimp, and tidbits of firm fish like tuna or swordfish are perfect.  A nice, and inexpensive, twist is to add golden potatoes, leeks, and rainbow carrots, and fresh thyme of course.  To add a little excitement, nothing excites more that a fresh lobster bisque!

Not everyone eats seafood and there are lots of really great other options.  Lately we have done a traditional potato leek soup and not so traditional eggplant and chickpea with a hint of curry, and a really colorful and tasty bi-color split pea!  The split pea starts with a strong vegetable stock that we made during the fall…  Cook the yellow and green peas separately, puree, and serve on opposite sides of the tureen – what an eye catcher!

My current favorite hearty soup is a homemade beef barley with wild mushrooms.  Tiny pieces of seared sirloin are simmered with diced green onion, celery, carrot, parsnip, bay leaf and parsley, in a good hearty beef stock.  The stock can be made ahead and kept in the freezer for months.  Add partially cooked barley towards the end of the cooking process to avoid the soup becoming porridge!  To finish, add the sauteed mushrooms.

Some other popular soups this year are Greek chicken Orzo, Chinese hot and Sour, Minestrone (there are dozens of delicious ways to prepare minestrone!), White Chili, Cream of Broccoli with Cheese, the list goes on…

Some condiments that work well are, leftover bits of baked virginia ham, crumbled crisp apple smoked bacon, Creme Fraiche, Greek yogurt, crispy rice noodles, oyster crackers, fresh croutons, herbed crostini, diced scallion, roasted pepper, fresh grated Parmesan, fresh herbs, different salts, and freshly ground black pepper.

Kick of that cold winter night right and GO SOUP!!

Chef Scott