Three Soup-and-Sandwich Combos

Nothing goes with soup better than a sandwich.

Here are three combos to warm up after a chilly winter day.

Vegetable soup with Reuben sandwiches

This is a true comfort food combination—a wholesome vegetable soup served with classic New York Reuben sandwiches. I have to confess that I utterly adore a Reuben sandwich—there is just something so comfortingly indulgent about tangy horseradish mayo, sauerkraut, and salt beef all warm with melting gooey cheese. It’s happiness on a plate! This vegetable soup can be made with any vegetables you chose, so it is great for using up whatever is in your fridge. If you prefer a chunky vegetable soup, cut the vegetables into small pieces and simmer until soft but do not blend the soup. If you are short of time you can substitute store-bought mayonnaise for the Russian dressing and just stir through a little ketchup and horseradish.

Serves 4

For the soup

1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 rib celery, trimmed and chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 leek
2 tablespoons butter
3 carrots (approximately 8 oz.), peeled and chopped
2 parsnips (approximately 12 oz.), peeled and chopped
generous 3¼ cups chicken or vegetable stock

For the Russian dressing

2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
generous ¾ cup mild olive oil
1 tablespoon horseradish
1 tablespoon tomato ketchup
salt and pepper, to season

For the Reuben sandwiches

8 slices rye bread
8-12 slices salt beef or pastrami
4 tablespoons prepared sauerkraut
8 slices Swiss cheese
panini press

Directions

Begin by preparing the Russian dressing. Place the egg yolks, mustard, and vinegar in a blender or food processor and blitz. Very slowly drizzle in the olive oil and whisk until the mayonnaise is thick. Carefully fold through the horseradish and ketchup and season with salt and pepper. Store in a jar in the refrigerator until needed.
For the soup, add the onion, celery, and garlic to a large saucepan with the olive oil and fry over a gentle heat until soft. Trim the ends of the leek, discard any damaged leaves, and finely slice. Rinse well to remove any dirt and then add to the pan with the butter. Cook gently for approximately 5 minutes until the leeks have sweated down and are soft. Add the chopped carrots and parsnips to the pan with the stock and simmer for approximately 15 minutes until the carrots and parsnips are soft. The actual cooking time will depend on the size of the vegetables. Once the vegetables are soft, carefully transfer to a blender or food processor and blitz until the soup is smooth. Return to the pan and keep warm until you are ready to serve.
For the sandwiches, lightly butter the outside of the rye bread, then turn over on a board and spread a layer of the Russian dressing over four of the slices. Top with the salt beef slices. Heat the sauerkraut to evaporate the liquid and then sprinkle a spoonful over the beef in each sandwich. Top with two slices of cheese and a further spoonful of dressing and then top each sandwich with the remaining buttered rye slices. Toast each sandwich in the sandwich press until warm and the cheese has melted.
Serve the soup with sandwiches on the side for a delicious lunch or supper.

Broccoli soup with blue cheese and pine nut croissants

Broccoli is one of the super vegetables that can really boost your immune system, so I love to make this soup when I am feeling under the weather. When blended it has a beautiful bright green color. Broccoli goes really well with blue cheese (you can even add a little extra blue cheese to the soup if you want, although this will make it richer). This soup is perfect served with warm stuffed croissants filled with blue cheese and the crunch of toasted pine nuts.

Serves 4

For the soup

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 clove garlic, peeled and finely sliced
1 head of broccoli (approximately 10½ oz. in weight)
1 quart chicken or vegetable stock
salt and pepper, to season
cream, to swirl (optional)

For the sandwiches

4 plain croissants
7 oz. gorgonzola dolce or other soft blue cheese
scant ½ cup pine nuts

Directions

Begin by preparing the soup. Heat the oil in a large saucepan and fry the onion until soft and translucent. Add the garlic and fry until lightly golden brown. Cut the broccoli into small florets and discard the large stem. Add the florets to the pan with the stock and simmer for approximately 10-15 minutes until the broccoli is just soft but is still a vibrant green color. If you overcook it, it will start to lose its color. Blitz the soup to a smooth consistency in a blender or food processor. Return to the pan and season with salt and pepper to taste.
Preheat the oven to 350°F.
Cut each of the croissants in half horizontally and place a slice or two of the cheese into each. Toast the pine nuts in a dry frying pan or skillet over a gentle heat until they are lightly golden brown and then sprinkle on top of the cheese. Replace the top of each croissant and wrap in a foil parcel. Bake in the oven for approximately 5 minutes until the cheese starts to melt.
To serve, pour the soup into warm bowls, swirl with a little cream, and add freshly ground pepper to garnish. Serve with the warm croissants on the side.

Butternut squash soup with Thanksgiving pretzel sandwiches

After all the festivities of Thanksgiving or Christmas, there are often some slices of turkey and some cranberry sauce left over. I love to serve these as pretzel sandwiches, similar to those I have enjoyed on trips to Bavaria, but if you can’t find pretzels, thick-cut slices of white bread are equally delicious. Using seasonal butternut squash, this spicy soup makes a pleasant change the day after Thanksgiving or Christmas day.

Serves 4

For the soup

2 onions, peeled and finely chopped
1 tablespoon olive oil
1 teaspoon garam masala
1 tablespoon nigella seeds
2 lb. butternut squash, peeled, deseeded and chopped into chunks
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
pinch of cayenne pepper generous 3¼ cups chicken or vegetable stock

For the sandwiches

a few spoonfuls of mayonnaise
4 large soft pretzels
4 large slices turkey
4 tablespoons cranberry sauce
4 slices Swiss cheese

Directions

Place the onions in a large saucepan with the oil and cook over a gentle heat until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the garam masala, nigella seeds, cinnamon, and cayenne pepper. If you do not like spicy soup, omit the cayenne pepper. Fry for a few minutes further to allow the spices to heat. Add the squash to the pan and cook for a few minutes, then add the stock and simmer for approximately 30 minutes until the squash is soft.
Pour the soup into the blender or food processor and blitz until smooth. Keep warm until you are ready to serve.
For the sandwiches, carefully slice each pretzel in half horizontally and spread each half with a little mayonnaise. Place a slice of turkey on each base and top with some cranberry sauce. Add slices of Swiss cheese and cover each with the pretzel tops. Serve the turkey-filled pretzels with the soup.