What is the secret to the perfect mushroom soup?
Firstly, the texture. A good quality hand stick blender is a must for a smooth result and the Bamix immersion blender is my number one pick. The convenience of blitzing your soup in the pot that it is made in saves you the hassle of washing up. The Bamix is easy to use, has a quiet motor and is extremely versatile. Its long list of functions certainly don’t end at soup making!
Secondly, the Staub cocotte browns the mushrooms and reduces the cooking liquid at a rapid speed to intensify the flavour. Cooking this mushroom soup in your cocotte will ensure even heat distribution, a faster cooking time and the bonus of keeping the soup warm for a long time after cooking. As already mentioned above, it is extremely convenient to be able to blitz your soup directly in the pot you made it in!
Next, is the depth of flavour. I have some secret ingredients hiding in this mushroom soup recipe that give it an indescribable umami flavour hit. Porcini mushrooms are a woodier and darker mushroom option that taste more nutty and earthy than a regular button mushroom. Adding porcini mushrooms to your mushroom soup will bring an indescribable complexity to the overall flavour. The other secret hiding in this mushroom soup is fish sauce. Fish sauce does not make this soup taste fishy whatsoever – trust me! The fish sauce creates a rich saltiness that enhances the flavour of mushrooms. Make sure you add it slowly and taste as you go so that you get the balance perfect.
Lastly, garnish. I would like to share some of the best garnishes that I believe belong to a mushroom soup. Truffle and mushroom are two of the most compatible flavours known and so, truffle oil sparingly spooned over the top of the soup will take the flavour to even higher heights. A drizzle of cream in a squeeze bottle looks beautiful and lightens the overall dish. Finally, finely chop some fresh chives and sprinkle them to season. The delicate onion flavour is the final seasoning to set this one-of-a-kind soup off.
Mega Umami Mushroom Soup Recipe
Ingredients:
- 10gms dried porcini mushrooms
- 500gms button mushrooms
- 3 garlic cloves
- 2 golden shallots
- 1 tbsp EVOO
- 100gms unsalted butter
- 200mls red wine
- 500mls chicken stock
- 2 tbsp fish sauce
- 250mls thickened cream
- 3-4 sprigs of thyme
- Salt and black pepper to taste
Method
1. Add butter and a glug of EVOO to your Staub cocotte or pot and heat on a medium temperature.
2. Slice mushrooms, golden shallots and garlic, add to the pan and sauté until mushrooms are cooked through and the liquid has evaporated.
3. Deglaze the pan with the red wine. Reduce until there is no liquid left in the pot.
4. Add chicken stock, porcini mushrooms, thyme and pepper, reducing the stock by half.
5. Using the Bamix multi-purpose blade, blitz the contents of the pot whilst still in the pot until mushrooms are broken down and smooth.
6. Next, using the Bamix blending and whisking attachment, pour in cream and blitz until silky smooth.
7. Blitz in fish sauce to taste.
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