Hearty Soups and Stews for the Cold Season
By Chef Jonathan R. Poyourow '03, RD, LD
December 2015
As the weather gets brisk and snow begins to fall, we look for ways to stay warm—from bundling up in hats and gloves to staying inside by the fire. Most people think of soups as home remedies for colds and illness but they can be so much more. Soups and stews are not only healthy and hearty but are full of flavors, colors and textures making them ideal for the winter season and chilly nights. Whether you are cooking a meal for yourself, a child, a spouse, or even a vegetarian, soups are not only ways to warm the season but warm your soul—one bowlful at a time.
To feel the comfort of home during the winter season, I like making Chicken Barley Soup with Pesto, which is my take the winter classic chicken noodle soup. Adding sweetness, such as Granny Smith Apples, to the dish makes it livelier yet still traditional.
Whenever I think about soups and stews I recall my time in the military. One of my best friends from Louisiana would always make Gumbo on the weekends during football games. I remember he always said that the most important thing is the trinity—building that base and building that flavor.
As the winter season approaches and temperatures continue to drop, what better way to keep warm and make the house smell great then to cook these delightful soups and stews.
