We served this 'soup' as a pairing for the wines at the wine club parties. It was so well-recieved it was requested again and again, the pairing cause be damned. The truth is that this soup is in fact a cream sauce. You can tell yourself it is a soup and drink it as such or use it as a sauce for pork, pasta or chicken. Either way, you won't regret your choice. Pair it with a hefty red or a toney white, like our '17 Sémillon.
Total prep and cook time: 15 minutes prep, 45 minutes cooking, and about another hour beforehand waiting for mushrooms to soak.
Yields
3-4 cups
Ingredients
2 oz dried porcini or other flavorful mushrooms
4 cup boiling water
½ cup unsalted butter (1 stick)
½ cup minced shallot
1 cup chopped celery
½ lb cremini mushrooms, chopped
½ lb portabella or shiitake mushrooms, chopped
Salt and pepper to taste
1 ½ cup white wine
2 cups chicken, turkey or veg broth (I use veg broth I make to keep this vegetarian)
4 cups heavy cream
2 teaspoons lemon juice, optional if using as sauce
4 Tablespoons parmesan, optional if using as sauce
Method
In a small bowl, combined dried mushrooms and hot water, soak for about an hour. Scoop the mushrooms out, chop, set aside.
In a medium to large saucepan, melt the butter and sauté shallots and celery on medium high heat, 3-4 minutes.
Add the fresh and rehydrated mushrooms, season lightly with salt and pepper and cook stirring often until the liquid released by the mushrooms are almost evaporated, 6-8 minutes.
The mushrooms should get very mushroomy and nicely browned.
Add wine and bring it to boil and then simmer for about 2-3 minutes, or until about ¼ cup of liquid remains.
Add broth and bring it to boil and then simmer for about 2-3 minutes, or until about 1 cup of liquid remains.
Add cream and simmer over medium-high heat until it is thick to coat the back of a wooden spoon, 2-4 minutes.
Remove from heat. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve into a metal bowl, pushing the solids to extract all the juices.
Return the liquid to the pan and heat until quite warm. Adjust seasoning before service.
If using this as a sauce for pasta or pork or chicken, add the lemon and parmesan. Otherwise just bathe in it or drink it.
Note:
Use the leftover mountain of mushroom mass in pastas, omelets, frittatas or purees
This soup freezes surprisingly well. It will separate when you thaw. You can fix it by stirring it as you bring it up to temp.