Soup and Salad Luncheon

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SharonT

Sous Chef
Joined
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Location
Memphis, TN
I need some ideas for a Soup and Salad Luncheon for 175 (ladies). Coming up in April. What are your favorite soup & salad pairings?
 
Cream of broccoli soup with asiago/ roast beef sandwich
 
If your function is in April you may want to steer clear of heavy cream soups. Some nice choices would be a nice minestrone or tortellini soup or even a home made chicken vegetable.

As for sandwiches, a small selection is always good in case there are vegetarians or people who don't eat certain meats.
- turkey with lettuce, mustard and mayo
- ham and swiss
- avocado and cucumber (can add cream cheese)
- lettuce, tomato, cucumber and red bell peppers

That's just some ideas. Hope it helps!
 
How many pairings are you planning?
What are your facilities for preparing/reheating?
Do you have dietary restrictions? (vegetarian/vegan, kosher, dairy restrictions)
What sort of budget are you working? (penny pinching, modest but nice, sky's the limit)

I love cream of crab soup, or a seafood bisque but for 175 people that could get spendy.
 
Good questions, Frank.

I wasn't quite going for pairings but a selection of soups and sammies. I guess I didn't read properly :wacko:
 
Just some soup ideas,

Broccoli Cheddar
Spicy Chili
Wedding
Chicken Noodle

For the sandwiches, (or wraps)

Roast Beef, with horseradish mayo and cheddar
Turkey, with honey or dijon mustard , lettuce, tomato and pepperjack cheese
Chicken Salad, with provolone
Grilled cheese w/ ham or bacon.
 
It's soup and SALAD pairings. I like a combo of light and heavier in either direction.


Vichyssoise and a simple Arugula Salad with shaved parmesan and a lemon vinaigrette

Tomato Consomme with a Salad Nicoise
 
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Don't know why I was thinking sandwiches, perhaps because it was lunch time here.

Can't go wrong with a Spinach salad w/ hard boiled egg, bacon, shaved carrot, tomato, and honey french dressing.

Also, I personally like a chopped salad with bleu cheese crumbles, tomato, croutons (or potato sticks) and aged balsamic.
 
Don't worry, Mikey, we all got it wrong! :wacko:

I agree with Jenny with the heavier/light parings but again, since it is spring you don't want to go too heavy.

Potato & Leek Soup with a nice apple slaw works well
Cheese Tortellini (broth) Soup with a Caesar salad
Chicken Noodle with a garden salad containing tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.
Vegetable or Minestrone with a BLT Salad and ranch dressing.
 
I am not big on creamy soups, but recently somebody asked me to make it for about 100 people. Instead I made vegetable soup and pureed the whole thing, people loved it. It was creamy without the cream. And in April it would be nice to have baby greens or a spring mix, I think it’s called, with some vinegrate dressing.
 
Spring makes me think of asparagus! So asparagus in either dish would make me a very happy "lady who lunches".
 
my daughter in law is coming for her bday lunch. we are both on diets. so tomato basil bisque and green salad with sautéed shrimp. probably romaine, artichoke hearts, grape tomatoes, hard boiled egg slices. purple onions and mushrooms. will serve home made oriental dressing (very low calories) on the side. perhaps you could just increase ingredients to serve more people.
 
I laughed at all the sandwiches, and yet... I WOULD rather have a sandwich with soup or a sandwich with salad... than soup and salad... however, have to work with the assignment given. Going back to read all again. Thanks for suggestions!!
 
How many pairings are you planning?
What are your facilities for preparing/reheating?
It'll be the same for all... 175 bridge players. That eliminates seafood, probably... Church kitchen, adequate for preparing and serving for 300. Reasonably good budget. They will expect something a little fancy.

It's soup and SALAD pairings. I like a combo of light and heavier in either direction.

Vichyssoise and a simple Arugula Salad with shaved parmesan and a lemon vinaigrette

Tomato Consomme with a Salad Nicoise
These are great ideas... I like the light and heavy.

Don't know why I was thinking sandwiches, perhaps because it was lunch time here.

Can't go wrong with a Spinach salad w/ hard boiled egg, bacon, shaved carrot, tomato, and honey french dressing.

Also, I personally like a chopped salad with bleu cheese crumbles, tomato, croutons (or potato sticks) and aged balsamic.
I just saw a salad pictured with root vegetable sticks - I love the Terra Chips - didn't know they came in "stick" form... It looked so good.

Don't worry, Mikey, we all got it wrong! :wacko:

I agree with Jenny with the heavier/light parings but again, since it is spring you don't want to go too heavy.

Potato & Leek Soup with a nice apple slaw works well
Cheese Tortellini (broth) Soup with a Caesar salad
Chicken Noodle with a garden salad containing tomatoes, cucumbers, etc.
Vegetable or Minestrone with a BLT Salad and ranch dressing.
I think ALL of these would be well received by this group.

I am not big on creamy soups, but recently somebody asked me to make it for about 100 people. Instead I made vegetable soup and pureed the whole thing, people loved it. It was creamy without the cream. And in April it would be nice to have baby greens or a spring mix, I think it’s called, with some vinegrate dressing.
I'm trying to imagine the vegetable soup pureed... I like the idea of creamy soup with cream. And spring mix -- yes -- always good value there.
my daughter in law is coming for her bday lunch. we are both on diets. so tomato basil bisque and green salad with sautéed shrimp. probably romaine, artichoke hearts, grape tomatoes, hard boiled egg slices. purple onions and mushrooms. will serve home made oriental dressing (very low calories) on the side. perhaps you could just increase ingredients to serve more people.
That sounds super-good. So many choices in so little time. I love it.

Avgolemeno or Cream of Asparagus soup.

Spinach, bacon, red onion and some asparagus tips or hard boiled egg slices.
I had to look up "avgolemeno" Interesting. I don't think it would appeal to the bridge ladies, though. :) Cream of Asparagus would be good, though, which also made me think of an avocado soup I did recently that was SOO good. But for that many, avocados would be a pain.

THANK YOU everybody for so many responses so quickly!
 
Many years ago, in Boston, there was a Viennese type cafe that served a sort of shrimp-louis salad, that I've adapted. This would pair nicely with a petit marmit, or even just a plain consume.

For each serving you'll need several asparagus spears, two or three large shrimp, a few black olives, hard-boiled egg, cut in quarters, and Louis dressing.

Steam the asparagus, poach the shrimp. Then lay them out stylishly on the plate. How you do this depends on the shape and size of the plate. But, in general, you want the asparagus in a bunch, with the shrimp arranged prettily on top of it. Garnish with the egg wedges and olives.

Nap the shrimp and part of the asparagus with Louis dressing. Have extra dressing available on the side.

One nice thing about this dish is that all the cooking can be done ahead of time, leaving only assembly for service.
 
Bridge Lunch: A Bit Different Mediterranean Lunches

Hi Sharon,

I had seen this post earlier today, however, I just arrived home a few minutes ago, and needed to weigh the options a bit.

Here are some suggestions that have not been mentioned. Many of the ideas, are very lovely. I just did not wish to repeat same ... Thought about " these ladies wish to have something special, innovative, new and different " ... something they cannot eat at home or make.

Here goes my list:

a) Salads;

1) Malaysian Fusion Mediterranean Salad: ginger, pineapple, kiwi, bell red pepper sweet, shrimp, French string beans ( the fine thin ones ), mango, red onion, sesame seeds and coconut grated ... Olive oil and rasberry vinaigrette.

2) Caramelized Onion Coulis, roasted walnuts with semi melted Goat Cheese on bed of Arugula, radicchio, bibb, Rumanian and endive with E.V. Olive Oil Vinaigrette with Rasberry.

3) Cous Cous salad with shrimp and spear mint or mint served with Mediterranean Vinaigrette, cherry tomato and black olives, Kalamatas.

4) Cold poached salmon with dill sour cream or crème fraîche on a bed of watercress, arugula and radicchio with E.V. Olive Oil Vinaigrette with Rasberry.

5) Indian style Chicken or Shrimp on a bed of arugula, watercress and radicchio with Mango Relish and a Vinaigrette.

6) Green Melon wrapped in Proscuitto di Parma served on a bed of cold green melon gazpacho or A bed of salad greens with Vinaigrette.

7) Provencal Salad: sweet red bell pep., Montrachet or similar Goat cheese, olive oil, sprig of thyme, arugula, radicchio, zucchini or cucumber and Kalamatas or Nicoise Black Olives, cherry tomatoes, croutóns home made with garlic and oregano and vinaigrette.

b) cream soups or soups:

1) Parsnip & Carrot Cream with walnut and pinenut Pesto

2) Green Asparagus and White Asparagus cream with a hazel nut pesto garnish

3) Almond, White Grape and Garlic cream with a whole peeled shrimp for garnish served in huge Martini Stemware ( served chilled or room temperature )

4) A Manhattan Clam Chowder with a garnish of Clam in Shell with lemon drizzled

5) Beetroot cream

6) Vichy

7) Gazpacho of tomato served in huge Martini glasses with garnishes and a celery stalk; in Spanish colorful bowls on each table: croutóns, minced garlic, minced onion, bell green pep and red bell pep ( each woman can sprinkle her own Gazpacho )

Best of luck with your event.

*** One more thing: I still believe a seafood paella for the engagement would be a block buster ... serve in little earthenware tapa portions ... The visual is impacting and the aromas of saffron, seafood / fish and the Arborio rice ... It is such a gorgeous dish.

Kind regards.
Margi Cintrano.
 
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Now I'm starving and wish I could be a guest at your luncheon, Sharon!

I don't have any better ideas than have been presented, but I would vote for Tomato Basil soup and this salad from HF. Thinking of how delicious it sounds, I can picture how beautiful all the colors would be. I think the pairing would be perfect, somewhat simple and quite elegant.
Good luck and let us know!

Many years ago, in Boston, there was a Viennese type cafe that served a sort of shrimp-louis salad, that I've adapted. This would pair nicely with a petit marmit, or even just a plain consume.

For each serving you'll need several asparagus spears, two or three large shrimp, a few black olives, hard-boiled egg, cut in quarters, and Louis dressing.

Steam the asparagus, poach the shrimp. Then lay them out stylishly on the plate. How you do this depends on the shape and size of the plate. But, in general, you want the asparagus in a bunch, with the shrimp arranged prettily on top of it. Garnish with the egg wedges and olives.

Nap the shrimp and part of the asparagus with Louis dressing. Have extra dressing available on the side.

One nice thing about this dish is that all the cooking can be done ahead of time, leaving only assembly for service.
 
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