Recipes
Wild Mushroom Soup
Pairs Well With
Serves 8
Ingredients
2 ounces dried wild mushrooms (such as porcini, chanterelles and morels)
1 cup Madeira wine
2 T Olive Oil
2 cups onions, chopped (about 1.5 large onions)
2 pounds fresh white mushrooms, cleaned, stemmed and roughly chopped
4 cups chicken stock, homemade or low sodium
Chives, chopped, for topping
Sour cream, optional
Kosher salt
Fresh ground pepper
Preparation
Rinse the dried mushrooms in a colander to remove any debris. Put the mushrooms in a bowl just large enough to hold them. Heat the Madeira and pour over the mushrooms. Allow to soak and reconstitute for about an hour. Stir the mushrooms occasionally.
Pour the oil in a heavy bottomed pot, and add the onions and stir. Cover and sauté the onions on medium-low heat for 20 minutes, stirring frequently, until the onions soften.
Add the chopped mushrooms to the pot and season with salt and pepper. Cook over medium heat for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently.
Lift the reconstituted dried mushrooms out of the bowl, reserving the liquid. Chop the mushrooms into ½" pieces and add to the soup pot. Pour the reserved liquid through a fine mesh strainer into the pot.
Add the chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, cover and cook for about 45 minutes. Remove from the heat.
If you have a stick blender this works great in pureeing the soup. If not, working in batches, fill a blender to 60% of its volume, hold the lid down tightly and puree the soup beginning with a medium speed and then taking it up to high. Pour the pureed soup into a holding bowl and continue until all the soup is pureed.
Return the pureed soup to the pot and season with salt and pepper to taste, warm through.
Serve in individual bowls or mugs. Garnish each bowl with a scattering of chives, a T of sour cream if using, and pass the salt and pepper.
