Cream of Mushroom Soup
A pleasant soup that combines the deeper flavours of dried mushrooms and the unique tastes of different varieties. I often add spinach at the end to enrich the final product. This recipe is adapted from Smitten Kitchen, suggesting less liquid to make the soup thicker at first, with the option to add more.
There are always more Soup options on North End Nosh - creamy, brothy, noodly, vegan, vegetarian - try them all, here, and experiment with these Hints to make you recipes different and better each time
Serves 6
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
1 ounce dried mushrooms (porcini, morels, or shitakes)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 fresh sprigs or 1 teaspoon rosemary
4 fresh sprigs or 1 teaspoon sage or thyme
1 yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
2 pounds mixture of white button, cremini or shitake mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
5 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water
1 cup cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Method
Prepare the dried mushrooms: Soak them in 1 cup of boiling water for 20 to 30 minutes, until plump. Remove them from the liquid and mince the mushrooms, setting them aside. Strain the soaking liquid through a coffee filter to remove grit and reserve this too.
Make the soup: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over a medium flame. When the oil is hot, add the herbs (either the teaspoons of dried herbs or bundle the sprigs or rosemary and sage or thyme together) and sizzle for a few minutes on both sides to infuse the oil.
Add the onion, garlic, salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent but not brown. Turn the heat to high and add the white mushrooms and shiitakes or creminis. Cook for 10 minutes, during which the mushrooms will give off their liquid (which should evaporate quickly due to the high heat) and deflate significantly. Stir occasionally.
Add the stock and the dried mushrooms along with the soaking water. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
Remove the herb bundle, then add the cream and butter. (Optional: add spinach and cook for a few minutes until wilted).
Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender, or using an immersion blender, puree until the soup is your desired consistency, or fully smooth. Add more broth if desired and adjust salt and pepper. Keep the soup at a very low simmer until ready to serve.
A pleasant soup that combines the deeper flavours of dried mushrooms and the unique tastes of different varieties. I often add spinach at the end to enrich the final product. This recipe is adapted from Smitten Kitchen, suggesting less liquid to make the soup thicker at first, with the option to add more.
There are always more Soup options on North End Nosh - creamy, brothy, noodly, vegan, vegetarian - try them all, here, and experiment with these Hints to make you recipes different and better each time
Serves 6
Time: 1 hour
Ingredients
1 ounce dried mushrooms (porcini, morels, or shitakes)
1/2 cup olive oil
2 fresh sprigs or 1 teaspoon rosemary
4 fresh sprigs or 1 teaspoon sage or thyme
1 yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
1 1/2 teaspoons salt
1/4 teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
2 pounds mixture of white button, cremini or shitake mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
5 cups chicken stock, vegetable stock, or water
1 cup cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
Method
Prepare the dried mushrooms: Soak them in 1 cup of boiling water for 20 to 30 minutes, until plump. Remove them from the liquid and mince the mushrooms, setting them aside. Strain the soaking liquid through a coffee filter to remove grit and reserve this too.
Make the soup: Heat the olive oil in a large pot over a medium flame. When the oil is hot, add the herbs (either the teaspoons of dried herbs or bundle the sprigs or rosemary and sage or thyme together) and sizzle for a few minutes on both sides to infuse the oil.
Add the onion, garlic, salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent but not brown. Turn the heat to high and add the white mushrooms and shiitakes or creminis. Cook for 10 minutes, during which the mushrooms will give off their liquid (which should evaporate quickly due to the high heat) and deflate significantly. Stir occasionally.
Add the stock and the dried mushrooms along with the soaking water. Simmer, covered, for 30 minutes.
Remove the herb bundle, then add the cream and butter. (Optional: add spinach and cook for a few minutes until wilted).
Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender, or using an immersion blender, puree until the soup is your desired consistency, or fully smooth. Add more broth if desired and adjust salt and pepper. Keep the soup at a very low simmer until ready to serve.