Fall and winter elevate soup to main-course status, when its warming qualities are just what we crave. In addition, homemade soup remains one of the meal options for the busy. It's easy to prepare and healthful, and the flavor usually benefits from sitting in the refrigerator a few days. Since it takes little extra time to make a double batch, it's also ideal for a homey sort of convenience food.

Present a wholesome soup for dinner, and you have the perfect opportunity to serve generous amounts of another favorite food: hot, crusty bread. To complete the meal, however, dinner must also include a compatible salad. Not an everyday tossed salad, mind you, but one that aesthetically balances the menu and offers a touch of the unexpected.

These three salads include fruit as a light, sweet accent that contrasts with the heartiness of each soup--and with the salads' piquant dressings.

Menu 1
Fennel and Apple Salad with Lemon-Shallot Dressing
Vegetable Soup with Corn Dumplings

Menu 2
Spinach and Pear Salad
Cauliflower and Red-Pepper Chowder

Menu 3
Orange and Arugula Salad
Tuscan Chickpea Soup