Creamy mushroom soup
This is actually a classic recipe that has by now become international, but since it is mushroom season here in Iceland I thought I would show one way of using all those delicious wild mushrooms that are cropping up all over the place.
While I usually use instant packet soup as a base when I make creamy soups for myself (and then work a little kitchen magic so as to make it into something you would never suspect wasn't made from scratch), it is well worth the effort to make soup from scratch. Here's a recipe for mushroom soup:
200 g fresh mushrooms. Wild mushrooms are best, but you can use button mushrooms too and still get a very good soup.
50 g (2 tbs) butter
1 1/2 litre meat stock (you can use vegetable stock as well, but the flavour will be slightly different) – or try mushroom stock if you can get some
1 small onion or leek
100 ml cream
Salt, pepper
Brush the mushrooms gently to remove any dirt. Chop half of them very finely, and do the same with the onion. If the remaining mushrooms are small, use them whole, but otherwise slice or quarter them.
Melt half the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat and gently simmer the whole or sliced mushrooms in the butter for 2-3 minutes without browning. Remove them and put the rest of the butter in the saucepan and add the chopped mushrooms and onion and again simmer gently for 2-3 minutes without browning.
Add the stock and cook for 5 minutes. Add the bigger mushroom pieces and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the cream just before serving and bring to the boil. Add salt if needed. Serve with freshly baked crusty bread.
While I usually use instant packet soup as a base when I make creamy soups for myself (and then work a little kitchen magic so as to make it into something you would never suspect wasn't made from scratch), it is well worth the effort to make soup from scratch. Here's a recipe for mushroom soup:
200 g fresh mushrooms. Wild mushrooms are best, but you can use button mushrooms too and still get a very good soup.
50 g (2 tbs) butter
1 1/2 litre meat stock (you can use vegetable stock as well, but the flavour will be slightly different) – or try mushroom stock if you can get some
1 small onion or leek
100 ml cream
Salt, pepper
Brush the mushrooms gently to remove any dirt. Chop half of them very finely, and do the same with the onion. If the remaining mushrooms are small, use them whole, but otherwise slice or quarter them.
Melt half the butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat and gently simmer the whole or sliced mushrooms in the butter for 2-3 minutes without browning. Remove them and put the rest of the butter in the saucepan and add the chopped mushrooms and onion and again simmer gently for 2-3 minutes without browning.
Add the stock and cook for 5 minutes. Add the bigger mushroom pieces and cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the cream just before serving and bring to the boil. Add salt if needed. Serve with freshly baked crusty bread.
