Funginaugural Mushroom Soup, Updated for a New Term

Mushroom Soup with Thyme

Blue Heron Kitchen

Obama has been inaugurated!

Whether you're glad or not, mushroom soup will comfort you and bring you joy through the winter months. Last year, I offered this basic recipe which I made for my New Year's M'Eve. A couple of weeks ago, my friend gave me these beautiful dried Shitakes,  

which potage-fired me up. This one is similar to my New Year's soup, but with a few new twists. If you opt for puréeing it, I won't cry in my soup. Puréeing allows for the addition of milk or cream.

I love David Waltuck’s mushroom stock from Chanterelle. If you don't have any homemade stock on hand, do as I do, and take the low road. The newly reintroduced Organic Better Than Bouillon Mushroom base is a great beginning. I fortify it with dried mushrooms and aromatics. If you have trouble finding the organic one, get the regular one. The organic one has been difficult to find.

Cooking should be enjoyable.

Quantities are approximate, but you’ll need:

1-2 carrots (organic preferred), minced

1-2 stalks celery (organic preferred), minced

1/4 to 1/2 of a red onion, minced

3/4 - 1 lb. fresh mushrooms, sliced (mixed variety, your choice)

fresh (or if you don’t have it… dried) thyme

bay leaf (fresh or dried)

extra virgin olive oil (about 2 - 3 Tbsp., combined)

dried mushrooms (your choice … read below)

mushroom or vegetable stock – about a quart

Dry red wine

Freshly ground black pepper and salt, 

Crème fraîche for serving (optional, but really good)

In a heavy saucepan with a lid, “sweat” a mirepoix, this one, a mixture of diced carrots, celery and red onion, in a small amount of good quality olive oil (first uncovered, then covered). 

In a separate saucepan, have your stock going. You can use pre-made mushroom stock, vegetable stock, or get some Better Than Bouillon Mushroom base. Have about a quart of this going and to this add dried mushrooms (I added ) to fortify the stock. Add a bay leaf, tarragon, thyme, parsley and any other aromatics you'd like in your stock.

Add about a pound of sliced mushrooms. (I used Cremini and Shitake). Turn heat to medium/high and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms begin to lose liquid and no longer appear ‘raw’.  Add some dry red wine, making sure the heat is high enough to allow the alcohol to cook off.

Remove the dried mushrooms from the stock and add the ones that aren't tough to the mushrooms along with your rich, hot stock (and the bay leaf!) to the mushrooms. Bring to a simmer, add some water (about a cup or two) and grated black pepper, to taste. (If you’re using pre-made stock or Better Than Bouillon, be careful about salt addition – you’re probably maxed out on sodium.)

Cook the soup for about an hour and a half – or until you feel it has ‘come together’. Remove aromatics and cool until at least lukewarm (you don’t want to put hot soup into a blender).

Using your blender or immersion blender, purée the soup until it is amalgamated, but still has texture and identifiable items floating around.

This Bamix immersion blender is fantastic. (Click on Bamix for link to Amazon.)

Return to a clean saucepan and heat, gently. If the soup’s too thick, add some additional stock (or water) until you're pleased with the consistency. If you want ‘cream of mushroom soup’, go all the way with purée and add some half and half – but heat it very gently, taking care that it doesn’t come to a boil.

Serve with a dollop of crème fraîche and if you have, some freshly chopped parsley.

Elegant, comforting, perfect for your own "m'evening", dinner for two, the whole fam or as the first course for your inaugural dinner.

peace, love, and forward,

jane