Christmas Eve Sour Mushroom Soup Recipes

POLISH MUSHROOM SOUP FROM DRIED MUSHROOMS (VEGAN, FOR CHRISTMAS EVE)

Steps:

• [The night before] To get rid of dirt and impurities, rinse dried mushrooms briefly in cold water. Then, place them in a bowl and cover with fresh water - just enough so they float freely. Set aside overnight. If you're worried that a bowl might attract some unwanted attention (from bugs, cats etc.), cover the bowl with cloth or a plate.
• Once you're ready to cook, prepare a cooking pot (ideally sized at 2.5 quarts or more).
• Move soaked mushrooms to the pot, keep the soaking water.
• Grab the bowl with remaining soaking water. Try separating the water from the sediment formed at the bottom. Move the water to the pot and get rid of the residue.
• Top the pot up to 2 liquid quarts (1.9 - 2 litres) of water. Cover with a lid and cook on the lowest heat for 25 minutes, until the mushrooms start to turn soft.
• As the mushrooms cook, peel all the vegetables and chop them roughly.
• Once the time is up on the mushrooms, add in all the vegetable chunks and peppercorns. Continue cooking for another 30 minutes, but follow the next step 15 minutes in.
• With 15 minutes left till the end of cooking - let's cook 'łazanki' noodles. Grab another cooking pot, fill it with water and bring to boil. Drop the pasta in, and just follow the directions on the pack - in my case that's 10 minutes of cooking time.
• Using a slotted spoon, carefully remove the mushrooms and veggies from the stock and set them aside.
• Using an extra fine sieve, strain the stock multiple times, until it's clear and not foggy. If you don't have a fine sieve, line a regular sieve lined with a cloth instead (cheesecloth, a piece of muslin square or similar).
• Let's balance the flavours now - add 2 generous pinches of salt and a solid pinch of ground black pepper.
• Add a tablespoon of freshly squeezed lemon juice and blend everything together with a spoon. Have a taste - does the soup need more kick? I usually add one more tablespoon of lemon juice (so two in total).
• Slice the mushrooms into stripes, small ones can be kept whole.
• The vegetables gave their all, there isn't much flavour left. But if you wish, you can reuse them to bulk up pâtés, pierogi fillings etc. I usually reuse some carrots, cubed, for serving.
• Arrange the mushroom slices in the individual soup plates. Add 'łazanki' pasta and pour the soup over it. Garnish each plate with chopped parsley (optional)

POLISH MUSHROOM SOUP

Steps:

• Chop the mushrooms and set aside. Dice the onion and add to a large frying pan with 2 tablespoons of butter and the oil. Cook over medium to medium-high heat until the onions are becoming translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook for 2 more minutes. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally for 20 minutes. If you're using all fresh mushrooms, you will need to cook in batches (until they shrink up a bit) or to use a very large frying pan.
• While the mushrooms are cooking, add the broth to a large pot. Peel and dice the potatoes (if you're using them), peel and slice the carrots, add both to the broth. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes or until the vegetable are tender (you should be able to easily insert a fork into them).
• Add the mushroom mixture, the dill, and the marjoram to the soup pot and simmer for 5 minutes. If you used dried mushrooms, you may add some of the soaking liquid now. I added 1 1/2 cups of the liquid to my soup. It makes the broth much darker and adds a lot to the flavor. Be careful not to add all of the liquid. There is often a little sand or grit from the dried mushrooms that settles to the bottom of the liquid. (You can always freeze the liquid and use it in other mushroom dishes.)
• To thicken the soup, in the mushroom pan, add a tablespoon of butter and the flour. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat. Slowly add 3 or 4 ladles of the soup broth, whisking until smooth. Whisk in the heavy cream. Add this to the soup, stirring or whisking until incorporated to slightly thicken the broth. Cook the soup for just a few more minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper. The amount of salt in your broth will determine the amount of additional salt needed.
• If you've chosen to add pasta, add cooked pasta to the bowls, then fill with soup.

SLOVAK MACHANKA (SOUR MUSHROOM SOUP) RECIPE

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• In a medium bowl, combine the dried mushrooms and 2 cups of the warm water. Cover with plastic and let soak overnight.
• The next day, remove the mushrooms from the soaking liquid without disturbing the sediment at the bottom and chop them into small pieces.
• In a large pot, carefully pour in the soaking liquid without disturbing the sediment at the bottom. Add the chopped mushrooms, 4 cups water, the whole onion, and salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer 1 1/2 to 2 hours or until mushrooms are tender.
• Remove onion and add 3/4 cup sauerkraut juice or to taste.
• In a small skillet, brown the flour in 4 tablespoons oil until a dark brown roux is achieved and add to soup, whisking until smooth. Temper the mixture of 1/2 cup flour and 1 cup water by adding a little hot soup into it, whisking until smooth. Pour the tempered mixture through a strainer back into the hot soup, stirring constantly.
• In a large skillet, add 1 to 2 tablespoons canola oil and brown the sliced onion until darkand caramelized. Set aside.
• When ready to serve, add browned onions to soup, mixing well. Pour into a heated soup tureen or ladle into heated soup bowls.

POLISH DRIED MUSHROOM SOUP - ZUPA GRZYBOWA

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Combine mushrooms and hot water in a large, heatproof bowl. Let stand for 1 hour.
• With your fingers, work mushrooms to release any grit. Let stand until very pliable, about 1 hour longer.
• Lift mushrooms from the liquid. Cut mushrooms into large pieces and set aside. Reserve bowl of soaking liquid.
• In a 5- to 6-quart pot, combine stock , chopped mushrooms, and pearl barley, if using. Pour the reserved soaking liquid into the pot, taking care not to disturb the grit in the bowl.
• Cover and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms and pearl barley are tender, 30 to 45 minutes. If making the soup ahead, at this point cool, cover and chill up to overnight. Reheat to simmering and proceed with the next step.
• In a medium bowl, mix the sour cream with flour and temper by whisking in a little hot soup.
• Pour contents of the bowl into hot soup, whisking constantly on medium-high heat until it comes to a boil. Adjust seasonings with salt and pepper.
• Remove from heat and ladle into warm bowls. Serve with kluski noodles, if using. Garnish with sour cream and parsley, if desired.

POLISH MUSHROOM SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse dried mushrooms. Place mushrooms in 2 cups of cold water, and soak for at least 4 hours or overnight.
• In a large pot, bring stock to a simmer. Add celery, onions, and carrots. Strain dried mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid. Add strained soaking liquid to soup. Chop hydrated mushrooms into 1/4-inch pieces slightly larger than diced vegetables, and add to soup. Add sliced white button mushrooms.
• Cover, and cook soup until vegetables are tender, about an hour. Bring soup to a boil. Stirring constantly, add orzo. Reduce the heat to a gentle boil, and, stirring occasionally to prevent pasta from sticking, cook until orzo is cooked through, another 6 to 8 minutes.
• Meanwhile, make a roux: Melt butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add flour, and cook, stirring constantly until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove 1 cup broth from soup,and add roux, whisking constantly until slightly thickened and free of lumps. Stir thickened liquid into soup. Add chopped parsley and dill.
• Finish soup with sour cream: Add 1/4 cup thickened soup to sour cream. Whisk until smooth. Add sour cream to soup, whisking constantly until it is well incorporated, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

SOUR MUSHROOM SOUP (SLOVAK MACHANKA)

Steps:

• Soak dried mushrooms in water overnight. Drain water from mushrooms taking care not to get any sediment that might have gathered in the bottom of the bowl. Roughly chop mushrooms.
• To a pot add the 4 cups water, mushrooms, sauerkraut juice and the one chopped onion. Bring to boil, reduce heat and simmer, covered, 2 to 3 hours. Add potato and simmer until potato is tender.
• In a fry pan, add 2 Tablespoons oil and flour and cook until browned (dark roux). Stir constantly to avoid burning. Add about a cup of soup slowly to the browned flour, whisking constantly to make a thin zaprashka (gravy). Add this back into the soup, stirring constantly.
• Add 1 Tablespoon oil to small fry pan and saute the diced onion until dark golden brown and soft. Set aside.
• Simmer soup 10 to 15 minutes, stirring constantly. Adjust salt and pepper to taste. Stir in the fried onions. Serve.

POLISH MUSHROOM SOUP (CHRISTMAS RECIPE)

Steps:

• To prepare the mushrooms soak them in a little water for 3 minutes then rub with your fingertips to remove any grit and rinse the mushrooms thoroughly. Place in a pot and add 250 ml/1 cup of water. Cover and bring to the boil then lower the heat and simmer for 30 minutes. (In the meantime boil the pasta according to the packet instructions).
• Remove from the heat and pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve making sure you reserve the liquid. Chop the mushrooms finely. In a small pan heat up the butter and fry the mushrooms for 4-5 minutes stirring often.
• While the mushrooms are cooking make the broth. To the pot add the vegetables, parsley, allspice berries and vegetable stock. Cover and bring to the boil then turn the heat down and simmer for 40 minutes. Using a slotted spoon lift the vegetables out of the pot (you won't need them anymore).
• Using a fine mesh sieve pour in the liquid from cooking the mushrooms and adjust the seasoning. Add the fried mushrooms, bring the soup to the boil again and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.
• Remove from the heat, adjust the seasoning if needed (add 1 tablespoon of soy sauce if using) and serve with the pasta and sour cream.

CHRISTMAS EVE SOUR MUSHROOM SOUP

Steps:

• In a 3-quart saucepan, saute mushrooms in butter for about 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Season mushrooms with pepper when the mushrooms first go into the pan. Wait a few minutes before adding the salt as this will draw moisture out and prevent them from coloring.
• Add water to pot, making sure there's about an inch of room at the top.
• Bring to a low boil and cook for about 30 to 45 minutes.
• Stir in rinsed sauerkraut.
• In a separate saute pan over medium/medium low heat, add oil and onion, cooking for a minute or so. Sprinkle flour over oil/onion mix to form a roux. Cook for a few minutes until a light blond.
• Gradually add a cup of liquid from the soup pot into the roux mixture. Allow it to fully incorporate.
• Gradually add the roux mixture into the soup pot, whisking to avoid lumps.
• Add white vinegar to soup. If you're not sure about how sour you'd like it, add 1 Tablespoon at a time, tasting between each addition.
• About 30 minutes before serving the soup, stir in cooked rice.

SLOVAK CHRISTMAS EVE MUSHROOM SOUP

Steps:

• Saute chopped onions in 1 cup butter until golden brown.
• Add finely chopped mushrooms to onions, and cook until mushrooms are done.
• Add water and cans of sauerkraut juice, bring to boil, lower heat and simmer 1/2 hour.
• In a small sauce pan brown remaining 1/4 cup butter, adding flour to make a roux.
• Slowly add some soup juice (about 2 cups) to the roux, stirring to blend.
• Add roux to soup and cook another 15 minutes to 30 minutes. Serve.

POLISH MUSHROOM SOUP

Steps:

• Pour the boiling water over the mushrooms and let soak for two hours. In a separate pot, melt the butter on medium heat. Add minced garlic, stirring constantly until fragrant and golden. Add the mushrooms and the mushroom water. Stir well. Add beef broth, white pepper, thyme and salt to taste. Note: this will taste very earthy. Stir throughly, then bring to a gentle boil. Simmer for an hour to let the flavors blend. Make your mashed potatoes. Stir in cream, let simmer five minutes more. Add salt and black pepper to taste. Divide mashed potatoes into two bowls, pour soup over mashed potatoes. Garnish with fresh parsley and a thyme sprig, or sour cream, if desired.