Wild Mushroom Soup En Croute Food

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.

BRIE & MUSHROOMS EN CROUTE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 375 degrees F. Line a sheet pan with parchment.
• Put the olive oil and butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. When the butter has melted and the oil is hot, add the onion, minced rosemary, thyme and garlic and stir to combine. Add the mushrooms and cook until golden, about 5 minutes. Season with a good pinch of salt and pepper, then stir. Deglaze the pan with the wine and continue to cook until the wine has reduced, about 1 minute. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, make an egg wash by beating the egg with 1 tablespoon of cold water.
• Lay out the puff pastry sheet on a floured surface and pile the mushrooms in the middle. Place the wheel of Brie in the center. Fold up the sides of the puff pastry to enclose the mushrooms and Brie, folding in the edges to seal. Place the wrapped Brie on the prepared sheet pan seam-side down and brush with the egg wash.
• Bake until golden, 30 to 35 minutes. Allow to cool slightly, then top with rosemary sprigs and dried cranberries to resemble an evergreen bush with berries.

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.

MUSHROOM SOUP EN CROUTE

Steps:

• Preheat an oven to 350°F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. On a floured surface, roll out the puff pastry into a rectangle about 15 by 10 inches and 1/8 inch thick. Cut the pastry into six 5-inch squares. Transfer to the prepared baking sheet and refrigerate until ready to use. In a large pot over medium heat, melt 2 Tbs. of the butter. Add the mushrooms and shallots and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low, cover and cook until the mushrooms are soft, 5 to 7 minutes. Uncover, increase the heat to medium-high and cook, stirring, until the liquid evaporates, 3 to 5 minutes more. Stir in the 1 tsp. salt and the 1/8 tsp. pepper. Transfer the mushrooms to a food processor and pulse until finely chopped. Set aside. In the same pot over medium-low heat, melt the remaining 3 Tbs. butter. Sprinkle in the flour and stir until no lumps are visible. Slowly whisk in the 2 cups milk until combined. Cook, stirring with a wooden spoon, until the mixture is bubbling vigorously and thickened. While stirring, slowly add the stock. Bring to a gentle simmer and cook, stirring, for 3 minutes more. The mixture should be opaque and beige in color. Stir in the mushroom puree. Season with salt and pepper and thin with additional milk, if needed. Ladle the soup into 6 ovenproof bowls and place on a baking sheet. Brush the tops of the puff pastry squares with the beaten egg. Place 1 square on top of each bowl and press the edges to adhere. Bake until the pastry is puffed and golden, 15 to 20 minutes. Serve immediately.

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.

MUSHROOM STUFFED BRIE EN CROUTE

Steps:

• In a 9- to 10-inch heavy skillet, cook onion in butter over moderate heat, stirring, until softened.
• Add mushrooms, sherry, nutmeg, and salt and pepper, to taste, and saute over moderately high heat, stirring, until the liquid that the mushrooms give off is evaporated.
• Cool mushroom mixture.
• On a lightly floured surface roll out 1 sheet of pastry into a 13-inch square and, using Brie as a guide, cut out 1 round the size of the Brie.
• Cut out a mushroom shape from scraps for decoration, or use any cookie cutter shape.
• Horizontally halve Brie.
• Roll out remaining sheet of pastry into a 13-inch square and transfer to a shallow baking pan.
• Center the bottom half of Brie, cut side up, on pastry square and spread mushroom mixture on top.
• Cover mushroom mixture with remaining half of Brie, cut side down.
• Without stretching pastry, wrap it snugly up over Brie and trim excess to leave a 1-inch border of pastry on top of Brie.
• In a small bowl, lightly beat egg and brush onto border.
• Top Brie with pastry round, pressing edges of dough together gently but firmly to seal.
• Brush the top of pastry with some egg and arrange pastry mushroom on it.
• Lightly brush mushroom with some egg, being careful not to let egg drip over edge of mushroom (which would prevent it from rising).
• With back of a sharp small knife, gently score side of pastry with vertical marks, being careful not to cut through dough.
• Chill Brie, uncovered, 30 minutes.
• Brie may be made up to this point 1 day ahead and chilled, loosely covered.
• Preheat oven to 425 degrees F.
• Bake Brie in middle of oven until pastry is puffed and golden, about 20 minutes.
• Let Brie stand in pan on a rack 15 minutes and transfer with a spatula to a serving plate.
• Serve Brie with French baguettes or crackers.

WILD MUSHROOM SOUP

Steps:

• In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions, celery, and cayenne and cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, thyme, salt, and pepper, and cook, stirring, the mushrooms give off their liquid and start to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the brandy, bring to a boil and cook until glazed, about 2 minutes. Add the stock and return to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.
• Remove from the heat and puree with a hand-held immersion blender, or in batches in a food processor. Add the cream, return to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and adjust seasoning, to taste.

MUSHROOMS EN CROUTE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F (180°C).
• Brush both sides of the bread with the melted butter.
• Cut each slice in half vertically, then each half into 3 horizontally.
• Bake on a baking sheet for 5-10 minutes, till golden and crisp.
• Heat the oil in a large frying pan, add the garlic and onion and cook, stirring, over low heat until the onion is soft.
• Add the mushrooms and cook over medium heat for 5 minutes.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Pour sherry into pan.
• Blend the sour cream and cornflour together and add to the mushrooms, stir until mixture boils and thickens.
• Remove from heat and stir in the herbs.
• Allow to cool.
• Spread the mushroom mixture onto each croute (bread) and sprinkle with the parmesan.
• Place on a baking tray and bake for 5 minutes, or until heated through.
• Serve sprinkled with fresh herbs if desired.