"A proper wild mushroom soup should live up to its name: a wolf in soup's clothing. The trick is to use a mixture of different fungi to layer the flavours." So says Niki Segnit in The Flavour Thesaurus
, an intriguing book I received for Christmas from my brother. This mushroom soup uses both fresh and dried mushrooms, and the more varieties the better. Its wildness is highlighted by a smooth backdrop of sherry and cream. I served it as the first course of Canadian Thanksgiving dinner this year.
Wild Mushroom Soup
serves 6 - 8
adapted from The New Canadian Basics Cookbook
2 onions
500 g mixed mushrooms
2 potatoes
2 T butter
1/3 c (75 ml) sherry
6 c (1.5 L) vegetable or chicken stock
1 bay leaf
1/4 t dried thyme
1/4 t dried sage
15 g dried mushrooms
1/2 c (125 ml) heavy cream (or milk)
Finely chop the onions.
Chop the mushrooms and dice the potatoes.
Heat the butter in a large soup pot. Add the onion and cook for 10 minutes, until softened.
Add the mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes until they are wilted and release their juices.
Add the potatoes, sherry, stock, bay leaf, thyme, sage, and dried mushrooms.
Bring to the boil and then reduce heat to simmer for 20 minutes, or until the potatoes are fully tender.
Remove the bay leaf. Use an immersion blender or allow to cool slightly and blend the soup in a blender until smooth.
Add the cream and heat through again, not allowing the soup to boil.
Do you prefer your soup's flavour to be calm? Or "a wolf in soup's clothing"?
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