There are people out there (they know who they are!) who cannot appreciate the complex and sublime flavours of fungus because of “texture issues”. Granted, mushrooms can sometimes be a bit challenging texture-wise (read: slimy, knobbly, bumpy, spongy, etc.) but to deny oneself these earthy delights is unthinkable! So, during the wild mushroom season I tend to make a lot of soup so that even my squeamish friends and family get a chance to taste the essence of autumn.
Golden chanterelles can be 50/50 when it comes to texture. If you go picking on a good day you’ll get the dry, crisp stuff that sautés and even grills well, but after a heavy rain those same ‘shrooms will be bloated and a bit spongy. A pureed soup solves all of those pesky texture issues without losing any of the chanterelle’s flavour.
Pouring hot soup into a robo and blending it can be a bit scary, so I suggest investing in a good-quality industrial immersion blender. It is one of the most useful kitchen gadgets I own!
This recipe is crazy simple (a total half hour of zen cooking) and can be easily elaborated if the occasion calls for something more refined. Imagine your rustic little soup finely pureed to a smooth consistency, strained and garnished with seared mushroom halves and truffle oil. It would be a rock god starter to a fancy Thanksgiving feast.
Mmmmmm….Or, just leave it lumpy and sip it out of a mug by the fire.
Chanterelle Mushroom Soup (Serves 4)
Ingredients
- 1 Big knob ‘o butter (approx. 2 Tbls. or 25g)
- 2 Medium Shallots (3/4 cup or 105g, chopped)
- 12 oz. Golden Chanterelle Mushrooms (350g, chopped)
- ½ cup White Wine (118ml)
- 3 ¾ cups (about 900ml) of Vegetable or Chicken Stock
- Bouquet Garni including a Bay Leaf, Fresh Rosemary and Thyme
- Salt and Pepper To Taste
- 2 oz. (60ml) Heavy Cream
Method
- Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat and sauté the shallots for 4 minutes – They should just be turning soft and translucent, but not browned. Add the chanterelles to the pot and cook, stirring occasionally for another 5 minutes.
- Pour in the white wine (Fwoosh!) and get your wooden spoon (or whatever it is your stirring with) under the shallots and ‘shrooms and scrape up any little bits clinging to the bottom. Continue to cook for 2 minutes at the same temperature and the wine will reduce by ½.
- Pour in the stock and bring to a simmer. Attach the string holding your bouquet garni together to one of the handles of your pot (assuming it has handles) and drop it in. Cover, reduce to med-low temperature and let the whole shebang simmer for 20 minutes.
- Fish out the bouquet garni and get out your handy immersion blender (or use a convention blender… but seriously, buy an immersion blender) and puree the soup to a rustic, slightly-chunky or a silky-smooth texture depending on the occasion. This should thicken your soup as well as combine it into a whole. Season with salt ‘n pepper and garnish with a swirl of heavy cream.
Optional : If you ‘wanna get fancy, and your guests don’t have “texture issues”, then sauté a couple of halved or quartered chanterelles in butter over high heat for 2 minutes and, once crisped, serve as a garnish with fresh thyme.
Music To Cook This To:
Groove Armada – Vertigo