Creamy Porcini Chestnut Soup Food

CREAMY PORCINI CHESTNUT SOUP

Steps:

• Heat the olive oil in a large saucepan, then add the celery, onion, and carrot and cook over medium low heat for about 5 minutes until soft.
• Add the mushrooms and continue to cook until the mushrooms are tender and lightly browned.
• Add the garlic and cook another couple of minutes until the garlic releases it's aroma.
• Add the chestnuts and about 4 cups of broth and simmer over medium low heat for about 30 minutes, adding additional broth if needed.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Cool for 15 minutes and then puree until thick and smooth.
• Serve just warm with your garnish of choice.

CHESTNUT & PORCINI SOUP

Steps:

• Place a heavy soup pot or rondeau over medium heat. Add the butter to the pot and when the butter begins to bubble and froth, add the onions and celery and sweat down for 10 minutes.
• Add the mushrooms and sauté for 10 minutes. Once the mushrooms are sautéed down a fair bit add the sherry and reduce for 5 minutes.
• Add potato and chestnuts to pan and cook for 10 more minutes. At this point you add the chicken stock, the bouquet and the bay leaf and cover. Cook until potato is tender, about 15 minutes.
• While still on heat add the cream. Remove bouquet and bay leaves using a slotted spoon or tongs. Remove soup from heat.
• Season the soup and then carefully puree it in a blender. Pass through a fine chinois for a smoother texture.

CREAMY PORCINI MUSHROOM SOUP

Steps:

• In a heatproof bowl, pour the hot water over the porcini mushrooms and soak for 30 minutes.
• In a large, wide-bottomed saucepan over high heat, warm 2 Tbs. of the oil and melt the butter. Add the button and shiitake mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are golden and tender and the liquid has nearly evaporated, 6 to 8 minutes. Add the remaining 1 Tbs. oil to the pan with the mushrooms, then add the onion and garlic. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until the onions are tender and golden, 6 to 8 minutes more. Add the thyme and sauté 1 minute more.
• Strain the porcini through a fine-mesh sieve, reserving the soaking liquid and the porcini. Add the soaking liquid to the mushroom-onion mixture along with the vinegar, stock and cream. Bring to a simmer, reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Using a stick blender, puree the soup until smooth and blended. Season with salt and pepper. Chop the porcini coarsely and stir into the soup. Ladle into warmed soup bowls and garnish each serving with a pinch of chopped chives. Serves 8.

CREAMY CHESTNUT-MUSHROOM SOUP WITH SAUTEED ROOT VEGETABLES

Steps:

• Combine porcini mushrooms and 3 cups hot water in medium bowl. Let stand until porcini mushrooms soften, about 15 minutes.
• Using slotted spoon, transfer porcini mushrooms to heavy large saucepan. Add porcini soaking liquid to saucepan, leaving any sediment behind in bowl. Add vegetable stock and chestnuts to same saucepan. Bring to boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 20 minutes to blend flavors. Working in batches, puree soup in blender until smooth. Return soup to saucepan. Add cream and 1 tablespoon Sherry. Bring soup to simmer. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cool slightly. Refrigerate. Rewarm over medium heat before continuing.)
• Melt butter in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add shallots, carrot and rutabaga; sauté until tender and beginning to brown, about 15 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 1 tablespoon Sherry. Season with salt and pepper.
• Ladle soup into bowls. Top with vegetables and serve.
• *Porcini mushrooms are available at Italian markets, specialty foods stores and many supermarkets nationwide.

CREAMY PORCINI SOUP

Steps:

• Place dried porcini mushrooms into the water and soak for at least one hour. (I personally soaked them over night so they are ready for lunch.) Do NOT drain the water as this will be the bases of your soup.
• Once the mushrooms have reconstituted, melt sweet cream butter in a sauce pan over medium heat.
• Add the diced sweet onions and garlic. Sauté until the onions lose their opacity (but do not allow to brown.).
• Add the reconstituted mushrooms along with the flavored water.
• Place both cubes into the mixture and allow the soup to come to a slight boil.
• Gently add the heavy whipping cream while stirring.
• Bring soup back to a gentle boil.
• Soups on!