A great bowl of soup, and our replacement for classic canned mushroom soup.
Mechanic
Two methods for different results. Velouté: a roux-thickened cream soup, rich and smooth. Potage: a blended potato-thickened version finished with cashew cream, dairy-free and lighter but equally silky. The mushroom base is the same for both.
Mushroom base
- 500 g mixed mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, or whatever’s available), sliced
- 1 onion, diced
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tbsp butter or olive oil (olive oil for the dairy-free potage)
- 1 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 250 ml dry white wine or dry sherry
- 750 ml vegetable broth (or chicken broth, if it doesn’t need to be vegetarian)
- salt and black pepper
Melt the butter or heat the oil in a heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the mushrooms in a single layer; don’t crowd them. Cook without stirring until deeply browned, about 5 minutes. Stir and brown the other side.
Add the onion and cook until softened. Add the garlic and thyme and cook for 1 minute.
Add the soy sauce and wine. Scrape up the brown bits and cook until the wine reduces by half.
Add the broth and simmer for 15 minutes. Finish as a velouté or a potage.
Velouté
- 30 g (2 tbsp) butter
- 30 g (¼ cup) flour
- 120 ml (½ cup) cream
In a separate small pan, melt the butter over medium heat. Whisk in the flour and cook, stirring, for 2 minutes. Whisk this roux into the simmering soup and cook until thickened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the cream. Blend partially (leaving some texture) or fully. Season and serve.
Potage (dairy-free)
- 1 medium potato, diced
- 80 ml (⅓ cup) cashew cream
Add the diced potato to the broth with the mushrooms. Simmer until the potato is fully soft, about 20 minutes total. Blend fully. Stir in the cashew cream. Season and serve.
To serve
Topped with a drizzle of cream or cashew cream, sautéed mushrooms, fresh thyme, and cracked black pepper. With crusty bread.
Notes
- Dried porcini (soaked in hot water, liquid strained and added to the broth) deepens the mushroom flavour significantly.
- The velouté version reheats better; potage can thin out slightly on reheating.