Wild Mushroom Soup With Cognac Recipes

CREAMY MUSHROOM SOUP

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a pot over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted, add a third of the mushrooms to the pot. Cook, stirring occasionally, until dark golden brown, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then remove them from the pot and reserve for serving.
• In the same pot, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Reduce the heat to medium and, when the butter has melted, add the rest of the mushrooms, along with the garlic, celery, thyme and onion. Cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are soft, 5 to 6 minutes. Sprinkle the vegetables with the flour and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper, then cook, stirring constantly, for 3 minutes, allowing the flour to cook.
• Slowly pour in the sherry, stirring all the time, then slowly add the stock. Keep stirring to reduce the likelihood of lumps. Bring to a simmer and cook, stirring occasionally, until slightly reduced and thickened, about 20 minutes.
• Using an immersion blender, puree until the mushrooms are mostly broken up into small barley-sized bits. (NOTE: You may use a blender, though allow the soup to cool until warm before pureeing.) Add the cream and heat until the pot is simmering. Add the balsamic, then taste and adjust the seasonings.
• Serve warm in bowls with the reserved mushrooms on top. Garnish with parsley and crusty chunks of warm bread.

WILD MUSHROOM SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a small Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 12 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high, add the mushrooms, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms release their liquid but do not brown, about 8 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.
• Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth (be careful when blending hot liquids). Add the Marsala if using and season with salt and pepper.
• Pour the soup into 4 bowls. Dollop with the creme fraiche and sprinkle with the chives. Drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil over top.

CREAM OF WILD MUSHROOM SOUP

Steps:

• Clean the mushrooms by wiping them with a dry paper towel. Don't wash them! Separate the stems, trim off any bad parts, and coarsely chop the stems. Slice the mushroom caps 1/4-inch thick and, if they are big, cut them into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
• To make the stock, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large pot. Add the chopped mushroom stems, the onion, carrot, the sprig of thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Add 6 cups water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Strain, reserving the liquid. You should have about 4 1/2 cups of stock. If not, add some water.
• Meanwhile, in another large pot, heat the remaining 1/4 pound of butter and add the leeks. Cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the leeks begin to brown. Add the sliced mushroom caps and cook for 10 minutes, or until they are browned and tender. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the white wine and stir for another minute, scraping the bottom of the pot. Add the mushroom stock, minced thyme leaves, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the half-and-half, cream, and parsley, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and heat through but do not boil. Serve hot.

WILD MUSHROOM SOUP WITH COGNAC

Steps:

• Combine the cepes and white wine in a saucepan and bring to a boil over medium high heat.
• Reduce heat and simmer for 5 minutes. Remove from heat and let sit for 15 minutes.
• Stain the liguid from the mushrooms through a fine mesh sieve and reserve. Coarsely chop the cepes and reserve.
• Melt the butter in a soup pot over medium heat.
• Add the white mushrooms and saute until they begin to exude their juices, about 5 minutes.
• Add the cepes mushrooms, reserved white wine, milk and cream and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally.
• Lower the heat and simmer the soup uncovered, stirring every now and then, for about 45 minutes.
• With a slotted spoon remove about 1-1/2.
• cups of the mushrooms from the soup and reserve.
• Puree the soup in a blender until very smooth and return the soup to pot.
• Add the reserved mushrooms.
• Add chicken broth and season with salt and pepper. Stir in cognac.
• Warm the soup until heated through. Do not boil.
• Garnish with sliced mushrooms or parsley.
• Preparation time is also cooking time.
• Makes 8 servings.

REALLY WILD MUSHROOM SOUP

Steps:

• Wash all the mushrooms in lukewarm water in a deep bowl. Mix the mushrooms well to loosen the dirt. Remove them from the water by hand, leaving the dirt in the bottom of the bowl. Repeat until there is no dirt. Remove the stems from the oyster and shiitake mushrooms, then slice all the mushrooms. Keep the domestic mushrooms separate from the other types.
• Heat an 8-quart sauce pot over moderately high heat. Add the olive oil, the domestic mushrooms, and the minced shallots, and cook until the mushrooms are soft. Add the remaining mushrooms, and saute for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the vermouth, and reduce for 5 minutes.
• Add the milk, fresh thyme, garlic, and nutmeg. Bring to a boil, and lower to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes, then remove the thyme sprig, and season with salt and pepper. Allow to cool slightly, then puree in the blender.
• Meanwhile, quickly blanch the strips of black trumpet mushrooms in salted water. Cool and add to enoki mushrooms and chives.
• To serve, reheat the soup in a sauce pot or in the microwave. Divide the tossed Enoki and black trumpet mushrooms into 6 equal portions, and place them in the center of 6 bowls. Pour the soup into the bowls at the table, pouring over the mushroom mixture to heat it up.

SAUTEED MUSHROOMS WITH COGNAC

Steps:

• Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat; swirl in half of oil and half of butter. Add half of mushrooms and half of thyme; cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms have released most of their moisture and become golden, about 14 minutes. Add half of cognac and cook, scraping up browned bits from bottom of pan. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl.
• Repeat with second half of all ingredients. Return first batch to skillet until heated through before serving.