Recipe report: Hearty soups

Now that chillier weather has arrived in most parts of the country, customer cravings are turning to soup. To add something new and satisfying to the menu rotation, try one of these recipes, each hearty enough to be an entree.

Chef Brad Farmerie of Saxon + Parole adds complexity to this lentil soup with a mix of sweet and hot spices, including ginger, cinnamon chilies, coriander and cumin. Red lentils further differentiate this Indian-accented plant-based dish.

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To kick up the heat in this Cuban-inspired recipe, the kitchen adds spicy smoked chorizo to the traditional sofrito mixture of onion, garlic, peppers and chilies. The soup is simmered long and slow to develop the flavors and tenderize the black beans. For service, some sofrito is stirred into the soup and the remainder is dolloped on top for just the right amount of spicy fusion.

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Soups are one of the most popular items at Reid Hospital, in Richmond, Ind. To satisfy customers' demand for comfort foods with global flavors, the team at Reid created this riff on the classic French dish, which features Burgundy wine, green onions, celery, carrot and cubed beef.

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This filling winter warmer is packed with flavor and makes a good match for times of year when fresh, local produce is scarce. Bulk up the dish with small pasta, if desired. Beans provide fiber while the slow-simmered Parmigiano-Reggiano and prosciutto di Parma deliver bold, craveable flavor.

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Due to an overwhelming demand for this dish, Jason Brust, Executive Chef and general manager of Parkhurst Dining Services at American Greeting decided to add the soup to the weekly menu. “We would have customers order quarts of it to go before we decided to serve it weekly,” Brust says. This dish features Indian flavor notes and can be served year-round. 

Click here for the recipe.