As the month of October closes, we prepare for Halloween weekend with a little fun in the kitchen.
This is the perfect moment to slow down, light a pumpkin-scented candle, and let your Hell’s Kitchen cookware, frying pans, and knives do the heavy lifting. The recipes below are a celebration of fall, a way to bring the whole family together, and the kind of dishes that prove why great cookware and sharp knives change everything.
Spooky Green Eyeball Soup
Kid friendly and just the right amount of spooky, this soup is a hit for Halloween night. It transforms everyday broccoli into something fun, colorful, and surprisingly delicious. The mozzarella eyeballs float on top like little ghosts watching over the bowl, a playful way to make broccoli fun again.
Cookware and Knife Spotlight: Hell’s Kitchen Hybrid 5 Qt Pot & Lid and Damascus Paring Knife 3.5”
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium onion, diced finely
2 garlic cloves, minced
4 cups broccoli florets, stems trimmed
4 cups vegetable broth
½ cup heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
8 small mozzarella balls
4 black olives, sliced in half
Instructions
-
Heat the Hybrid 5 Qt Pot over medium heat. Add butter and let it melt until it begins to foam lightly.
-
Add the diced onion and minced garlic. Sauté slowly, stirring often, until the onion turns translucent and the garlic softens, about 5 minutes.
-
Add the broccoli florets to the pot. Pour in the vegetable broth and bring to a gentle boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the broccoli is tender enough to pierce easily with a fork.
-
While the soup is simmering, prep the eyeballs as described in step 7 below.
-
Remove the pot from the heat and use an immersion blender or ladle into a countertop blender to purée until perfectly smooth. With a countertop blender, you may need to blend in batches. Hold the lid firmly with a towel to avoid steam burns. Return the puréed soup to the pot.
-
Stir in the cream and season generously with salt and pepper. Keep the soup warm over low heat.
-
For Eyeballs: Slice the olives into halves with the Damascus Paring Knife. Press one olive half onto each mozzarella ball to form pupils. Gently float the mozzarella eyeballs on top of the soup before serving.
The result is a bright green soup that looks festive and tastes rich and comforting. Children will love helping assemble the eyeballs, and adults will appreciate how good this spooky twist on broccoli can be.
Roasted Garlic Sage Pumpkin Soup
This is the grown up version of comfort food. Deeply roasted pumpkin, caramelized onion, and sweet garlic come together with cream and sage to create a silky smooth soup. Served straight from the pot, it feels as dramatic as it tastes and makes a perfect fall centerpiece.
Cookware and Knife Spotlight: Hell’s Kitchen Hybrid 7.5 Qt Pot & Lid and Damascus Chef Knife
Prep Time: 15 minutes
Cook Time: 40 minutes
Servings: 4
Ingredients
1 small pumpkin, about 2 pounds, peeled, seeded, and cut into cubes
1 large onion, diced
1 head of garlic, top trimmed to expose the cloves
2 tablespoons olive oil
4 cups vegetable broth
½ cup heavy cream
1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
¼ cup pumpkin seeds, toasted until golden
Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
-
Preheat the oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper.
-
Using the Damascus Knife, peel the pumpkin carefully. Slice it in half, scoop out the seeds, soak the seeds in salt water and save for roasting, and cut the flesh into one inch cubes. Dice the onion. Trim the garlic head, drizzle with olive oil, and wrap in foil.
-
Spread the pumpkin cubes and onion onto the baking sheet. Drizzle with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring once, until the vegetables are tender and caramelized. Place the garlic packet in the oven alongside the pumpkin to roast until soft and fragrant.
-
Transfer the roasted pumpkin and onion into the Hell’s Kitchen Hybrid Pot. Squeeze the roasted garlic cloves from their skins and add them directly to the pot.
-
Add the vegetable broth and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Cook for 10 minutes to let the flavors come together.
-
Use an immersion blender or countertop blender to purée the soup until smooth. Stir in the cream and sage. Taste and adjust the seasoning with more salt and pepper if needed.
-
Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with toasted pumpkin seeds. Serve hot.
This soup is elegant and full of depth. The roasted garlic adds sweetness, the sage brings freshness, and the cream ties it all together. Presented in the hybrid pot, it makes a stunning centerpiece for any fall dinner.
Vampire Steak Bites with Garlic Butter
This skillet recipe puts the Hell’s Kitchen Hybrid Fry Pan in the spotlight. Juicy steak bites are seared to perfection, bathed in garlic butter, and served sizzling hot. The rich red of the meat and the golden garlic make this a dish fit for vampires or to ward them off.
Cookware and Knife Spotlight: Hell’s Kitchen Hybrid Fry Pan and Hell’s Kitchen Damascus Santoku Knife 7”
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 10 minutes
Servings: 3
Ingredients
1 pound sirloin steak, cut into bite sized cubes
4 garlic cloves, minced
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Fresh parsley for garnish
Instructions
-
Place the Hybrid Fry Pan over medium high heat. Add olive oil and heat until shimmering.
-
Using the Santoku Knife, cut the steak into even bite sized cubes. Pat them dry with paper towels to ensure a good sear. Season generously with salt and pepper.
-
Add the steak bites to the hot pan in a single layer. Sear for 2 to 3 minutes on one side until a golden crust forms. Turn and cook for another 2 minutes. Remove the steak to a plate and keep warm.
-
Lower the heat slightly and add the butter to the pan. Once melted, stir in the minced garlic and cook for about 30 seconds until fragrant.
-
Return the steak to the pan and toss in the garlic butter until evenly coated.
-
Transfer to a serving platter, spoon the garlic butter over the top, and garnish with fresh parsley.
This recipe is dramatic, quick, and full of flavor. It shows why a Hell’s Kitchen frying pan is essential for searing meat and why a sharp knife makes all the difference.
Wrapping Up October
October with Hell’s Kitchen is about joining the fun of the season and enjoying the delicious, comforting, and festive treats you can make with our cookware, frying pans, and knives.
As Halloween weekend arrives, remember that the best tricks are in the knife work and the best treats are the dishes you share at the table.