Credits: From Welcome to My Kitchen by Tom Valenti. HarperCollins Publishers. Used by permission.
Prep Time: 30 minutes
Cook Time: 20 minutes
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2 cloves garlic, smashed
- Coarse salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 8 ounces assorted wild mushrooms, such as shiitake, oyster, hen of the wood, chanterelle, black trumpet, cut into bite-s
- 3 cups Chicken Stock
- Basic Vegetable Stock
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 12 ounces button mushrooms, thinly sliced
- Coarse salt
- Freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup all-purpose flour
- 1/2 cup dry white wine, such as sauvignon blanc
- 1 cup heavy cream (use up to 1/2 cup less if you like by diluting it with water)
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh chervil leaves
- 1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon leaves
- 1 teaspoon minced chives
- 1 tablespoon sherry, or to taste
Preparation:
Roasted Wild Mushrooms
Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Place the oil and garlic in a small mixing bowl and season with salt and pepper. Dip the mushrooms in the seasoned oil, shake off any excess, and place on a cookie sheet. (Be sure to shake off as much excess oil as possible to avoid turning the soup greasy.) Roast the mushrooms in the preheated oven until golden brown, 12-15 minutes. Remove the mushrooms from the oven, cover with aluminum foil to keep warm, andset aside.
Mushroom Soup and Assembly
Pour the stock into a pot and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Place the butter and garlic in another pot and cook over medium-high heat until the butter is melted. Add the mushrooms to the butter and garlic, season with salt and pepper, and cook over medium-high heat until the mushrooms are tender but still white, 2-3 minutes. Lower the heat and sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms, stirring as you do. Cook the mushrooms for 5 minutes, scraping the pan and stirring every minute or so. Raise the heat under the mushrooms to medium and add the wine to the pot. Add the simmering stock to the mushrooms, 1 cup at a time, stirring to avoid lumps. Cook for 10 minutes.
If making in advance, allow to cool, then refrigerate in an airtight container for up to 2 days or freeze for up to 1 month, keeping the button and wild mushrooms separate. When ready to proceed, allow to come to room temperature and reheat in a pot over low heat. Add the cream, adjust the seasoning, and add the reserved wild mushrooms. If necessary, thin with some hot water. Add the chervil, tarragon, and chives to the pot. Divide the soup among 4 soup bowls and drizzle with the sherry.
Options: This is a great vehicle for grated fresh black truffles. If you choose to shave some over each serving, omit the herbs.
