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Thursday, May 26, 2011

Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup

This is one of our favorite soups. 


Cream of wild mushroom soup

2 packages of dried wild mushrooms. (doesn't matter what type. I used morrel and chanterelles)
2 or 3 cups of chopped mushrooms (whatever you've got. I used crimini and shiitake)
1 quart water
1 quart cream or half and half
1/2 cup white wine
salt, pepper and nutmeg
1/4 cup onion - chopped
2 tablespoons butter
1/4 cup arrowroot
1/4 cup water
Fresh parsley - garnish
drizzle of black truffle oil - garnish

Bring the 1 quart of water to a boil. Turn down to a simmer. Soak dried wild mushrooms in hot water for 20 minutes. 

In large soup pot saute onion in the 2 tablespoons of butter until softened. Add chopped mushrooms. Saute until they are very well brown but not burnt. 

After 20 minutes scoop out the re-hydrated mushrooms. Reserve liquid. Chop mushrooms and add to sauteed mushrooms. Add wine. Add liquid that you soaked the dried mushrooms in. Using a hand-held blender or a regular blender, blend until mostly smooth. We like ours a little on the chunky side. Add cream. Add salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste. If I had to guess I'd say start with a half teaspoon of salt, and a quarter teaspoon of pepper and nutmeg. Let it meld with the soup for a minute or two then add more if needed. Cook on low until heated through. 10 or 15 minutes. Don't boil.

Take off the heat. Mix 1/4 cup of water with the arrowroot. Add half of this mixture to soup. Let it cool a little. Stir. Is it thick enough? No? Add a little more of the arrowroot mixture. As it cools it will thicken up some more. You could skip the arrowroot and let it sit on the stove for awhile or eat it thinner.

Top with a sprinkle of parsley and a drizzle of truffle oil.
Serves 4 to 6. It's only 4 for us because we love this stuff.

I wish I could be more accurate with my measurements but I'm not very good at keeping track of measurements. I just don't cook that way. I'm more of a little bit here and a little bit there kind of cook.

I hope you enjoy this.

Love,
M

9 comments:

  1. That sounds lovely.
    I allergic to cream, so when I go about something like that I use a veg' stock and a few tablespoons of olive oil. The oil carries the flavour like the cream. But it doesn't have the smoothness of the cream.
    I miss cream. And butter.

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  2. Vince: I would totally miss cream and butter too.

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  3. That sounds good! I think even Princess Nagger would love this, since she does love mushrooms [one of the few vegetables I can get her to eat without 'hiding' them in things...] ;) I cook like you do - don't really pay attention to measurements, just a little bit here and a little bit there...that's how my great-grandmother taught me how to cook! :)

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  4. Stacy: Grandmothers could be great teachers. They knew all the tricks. I'm hoping to pass that on to my children. That might have to be my grandchildren. *sigh*

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  5. MMM...that sounds delicious. I think I just might get Turbo to try it--he's not a fan of mushrooms, but if the mushrooms were blended in well enough...

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  6. And the Angels sang, because Michele posted her recipe for Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup.

    THANK YOU.

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  7. Vandy: It's amazing what you can hide with enough blending.

    Jan: I'm not sure how you can have it because of the cream but if anyone can figure it out you are the one to do it.

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  8. Oh, that looks heavenly and rich. If I can keep this lifestyle going until fall, this will be the first comfort food desire I give into on a cool night.

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  9. Yummmm! THANK YOU THANK YOU THANK YOU!

    Linda
    http://coloradofarmlife.wordpress.com
    http://deltacountyhistoricalsociety.wordpress.com/

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