Dried Porcini ConsommÉ Nyt Food

DRIED PORCINI CONSOMMé

Steps:

• Place the dried porcinis in a bowl or a pyrex measuring cup and cover with 2 cups boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, wipe the fresh mushrooms, trim away the bottoms if they are sandy, break off the stems and set them aside. Set aside half of the caps in a separate bowl and slice the rest.
• Line a strainer with cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Drain the porcinis through the cheesecloth-lined strainer. Squeeze over the strainer to extract as much flavorful liquid as possible and set aside the broth. Rinse the reconstituted mushrooms in several changes of water. Measure the mushroom soaking water and add enough water to make 4 cups.
• In a soup pot or a large saucepan, combine the mushroom soaking liquid, the chicken or vegetable stock, the soaked porcinis, fresh mushroom stems and sliced caps, garlic, and salt to taste, and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer over very low heat for 30 minutes. Strain the soup and return to the saucepan. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste, and the soy sauce.
• Slice the fresh mushroom caps you set aside paper-thin and toss with a couple of drops of lemon juice. Ladle the soup into bowls or espresso cups, garnish with a couple of slices of mushroom and a sprinkling of chives, and serve.

ONE-POT FRENCH ONION SOUP WITH PORCINI MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Bring a small saucepan with about 2 1/2 cups water to a boil over high and place mushrooms in 2-cup glass measuring cup. Pour boiling water over the mushrooms to fill the cup (a little less than 2 cups) and set aside.
• Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium heat. Stir in oil and onions, cover and cook, stirring occasionally, until wilted, about 15 minutes. Turn heat up to medium-high, season with salt and pepper and continue cooking, covered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.
• Add fennel and leeks, season again, and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, 15 minutes.
• Remove lid, increase heat to high and cook, stirring frequently, until the vegetables are deeply browned, about 5 minutes. Lower the heat if the buildup on the bottom of the pot threatens to burn. Sprinkle with flour and cook, stirring, 1 to 2 minutes.
• Scoop the mushrooms out of their liquid, reserving liquid and chop mushrooms finely. Add chopped mushrooms, wine, thyme sprigs and bay leaf to the pot. Cook, scraping the bottom of the pot with a wooden spoon, until wine is mostly evaporated, 2 to 3 minutes. Add reserved mushroom liquid to the pot, pouring the liquid slowly and discarding the last few drops of liquid, which may contain grit. Pour in the stock and demi-glace, if using, and bring to a boil, scraping the bottom of the pot to loosen any residue. Reduce to a simmer, and cook uncovered until flavors meld, about 30 minutes. Discard thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Meanwhile, heat oven to 375 degrees. Fit the toasted bread on the surface of the soup in an even layer, breaking them up as needed to cover the surface. Sprinkle with the Gruyère and Parmesan. Set the Dutch oven on a baking sheet and bake in the middle of the oven until the cheese is bubbling, 15 to 20 minutes. Heat oven to broil and continue cooking until cheese is melted and golden brown, 1 to 2 minutes. Serve immediately.

MUSHROOM AND DRIED PORCINI SOUP

Steps:

• Place the dried porcinis in a bowl or a pyrex measuring cup and cover with 2 cups boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, wipe the fresh mushrooms, trim away the bottoms if they're sandy, break off the stems and set them aside. Set aside the caps in a separate bowl.
• Drain the porcinis through a cheesecloth-lined strainer set over a bowl. Squeeze over the strainer to extract as much flavorful liquid as possible and set aside the broth. Rinse the mushrooms in several changes of water. Measure the mushroom soaking water and add water to make 2 cups.
• In a soup pot or a large saucepan, combine the mushroom soaking liquid, the chicken or vegetable stock, the soaked porcinis, fresh mushroom stems, garlic, tomatoes, and 1 teaspoon salt, and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer over very low heat for 1 hour. Strain the soup and return to the saucepan. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
• Slice the fresh mushroom caps paper-thin, toss with a couple of drops of lemon juice, and add to the soup pot. Heat through for 5 minutes.
• If garnishing with the garlic croutons, top them with Parmesan and place in a hot oven or toaster until the Parmesan has melted. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each bowl with chopped fresh chives and a crouton or two if desired.

PENNE WITH DRIED PORCINI AND ITALIAN SAUSAGE

Steps:

• Soak the mushrooms in one-and-a-half cups hot water for 30 minutes.
• Meanwhile saute the onion and the garlic in the olive oil until soft. Add the sausage and brown lightly. Drain off any fat.
• Drain the mushroom through a coffee filter or cheesecloth, reserving the soaking liquid. Quickly rinse the mushrooms under the running water.
• Add the mushrooms with their soaking liquid to the onion, along with the tomato paste, chicken stock and herbs. Season lightly with salt and pepper and simmer gently for half an hour. If the sauce gets too thick add more stock. If it is too thin, turn up the heat.
• Meanwhile, bring six quarts water to boil for the penne. Cook the penne, drain and place in a heated bowl. Pour the sauce on top, toss thoroughly and serve immediately. Pass the cheese separately.

PASTA WITH DRIED MUSHROOMS AND TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Place the mushrooms in a bowl or a pyrex measuring cup and cover with hot water. Let soak 15 to 30 minutes, until thoroughly soft. Line a strainer with cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Drain the mushrooms and squeeze them over the strainer. Then rinse in several changes of water and chop coarsely. Measure out 1/4 cup of the mushroom soaking liquid.
• Begin heating a large pot of water for the pasta. Heat the olive oil in a large, wide, heavy nonstick frying pan over medium heat and add the onion or shallot. Cook, stirring, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir together for minute, until fragrant, then add the mushrooms and stir together for a minute or two, until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and their juice, the mushroom soaking liquid you set aside, the thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir and turn up the heat. When the tomatoes begin to bubble, lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until thick and fragrant, 15 to 20 minutes. Add a generous amount of pepper, taste and adjust seasonings. Keep warm.
• When the pasta water comes to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt and the pasta. Cook al dente, following the timing directions on the package but checking a minute or two before the time on the package. Remove 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water and stir it into the mushroom sauce. When the pasta is cooked through but still firm to the bite, remove another 1/2 cup water, drain the pasta and toss with the sauce in the frying pan if possible. If you wish to thin out the sauce or moisten the pasta further, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water or more of the mushroom soaking liquid. Serve hot; pass the Parmesan at the table.

ANDREAS VIESTAD'S PORCINI CONSOMME

Steps:

• In a medium pot, bring vegetable broth to a boil. Add mushrooms (all fresh or a combo of dried and fresh), peppercorns, bay leaves and the cinnamon stick. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, skimming off any foam that forms on the surface.
• Line a colander or sieve with cheesecloth (I use a coffee filter sometimes) and strain the consomme into another pot, pressing gently on the mushrooms with a spoon to extract as much of the liquid as possible. Discard mushrooms and spices.
• Reheat the consomme and season to taste with salt. Pour into bowls and garnish with a couple of tablespoons of cream per portion, sprinkle with cinnamon and serve.