Few chefs command the kitchen as confidently and calmly as Sonya Coté. As the executive chef of East Side Show Room and Hillside Farmacy in Austin, she has enlivened the local food scene and transformed it into more than just a short-lived trend. Just a few days ago, the chef announced a new collaboration with Chef Paul Hargrove – formerly of TRACE at the W Hotel – in the East Side Show Room kitchen. Here, the chef shares one of Hillside Farmacy’s soups with TEXAS MONTHLY.

Sweet Potato Bisque with Roasted Watermelon Radish
Serves 4 to 6

4 sweet potatoes, peeled and diced
1 watermelon radish, diced
4 tablespoons grapeseed oil
2 stalks celery, diced
1 yellow onion, diced
2 leeks, cut into rounds
2 carrots, peeled and diced
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1 shallot, finely chopped
2 quarts homemade chicken stock
1/2 pint heavy cream (don’t skip this!)
pinch of turbinato sugar, tumeric, and coriander
kosher salt
splash of sherry

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Toss sweet potatoes with oil, salt, and pepper. Roast until soft and caramelized on a sheet tray. Meanwhile, toss diced radishes with oil, salt, and pepper, then roast separate until crisp on the outside and soft on the inside (keep an eye on these; they roast fast!). Cool and set aside.

In a large pot, sauté the celery, onion, and carrot. Sauté until translucent. Add garlic and shallot. Deglaze the veggies with your homemade chicken stock.  Simmer and add the roasted sweets, spices, and cream. Blend with an immersion blender and add a splash of sherry. Taste. Garnish with roasted radish.

This recipe is meant to be a guide.  Please consider vegetables that are found grow locally by our farms to replace the mirepoix (such as leeks, parsnips, fennel, and peppers) and taste as you go!

Tagged: East Side Show Room, Hillside Farmacy, Layne Lynch, Paul Hargrove, Sonya Cote, TRACE, W Hotel