Creamy wild mushroom soup

So I am calling it – it is officially soup weather. And I am here to tell you this comforting, creamy wild mushroom soup is incredibly delicious. Full of earthy flavors and nothing like the thick, shiny congealed and condensed grossness that comes out of a can. This homemade wild mushroon soup comes together with only a few ingredients, and served up with a big hunk of sourdough or French bread…I mean, it doesn’t get any better.

The weather is changing, shit is getting cold. I took a look outside at my sad summer garden and realized a few things

1. Tomato season is over. Sadness right there.
2. All my flowers are sad looking and need to be replaced with mums that can survive the cold.
3. Outdoor dining here is near the end in Chicago.
4. Covid still blows.
5. I will be back to theme night dinners in our house, because throwing a few burgers on the grill while the kids swim is done for the year. Honestly, I don’t know who is less excited about theme nights – me or the kids.

So after that lil bout of depressed talking points, lets look onto the positive:

1. It is soup time. YESSSSSSSSSS.
2. It is braising season – short ribs, pot roasts, veal shanks, pork shanks. HELL YESSSSSS.
3. It is back to shaving my legs monthly not daily.
4. Elastic pants and not bikinis all day, every day.
5. Theme night dinners again – French night, Italian night, choose-your-fave-restaurant-meal night, Moroccan night, interesting shit I say.

Onto the creamy wild mushroom soup (what you came here for in the first place). This simple soup uses a mix of mushrooms sauteed really well to give them an extra deep and caramelized flavor.

What are the best kinds of mushrooms for wild mushroom soup?

You can use any mix of mushrooms you like. I use shitake, oyster, cremini and regular old button mushrooms – all fresh and all purchased at my regular grocery store. For extra mushroom flavor and a really nice and deep earthy flavor I always add one variety of dried mushrooms also. Usually porcini mushrooms or if I am treating myself, morels (these are pricey though so I rarely buy them). Most grocery stores sell some varieties of dried mushrooms, so you can pick whatever you can find. Soak them in a bowl of boiling water for a few minutes to soften before adding. PRO TIP – the soaking liquid…yeah that is like mushroom gold. DO NOT throw it out! Throw that mushroom liquid riright into your soup!

Really any mix of mushroom will do, use what you like and what is reasonably priced. I do recommend making sure you use a variety is all.

What else do you need?

• shallot or onion
• a little garlic
• sherry (or a white wine you have)
• fresh thyme
• dried dill
• veggie or chicken stock
• veggie stock concentrate or chicken or veal demiglace (this is OPTIONAL, I have it and use stock concentrates demis to enhance soups and sauces. And while I recommend having them on hand because they are awesome for all sorts of things, totally not necessary. Here is the ones I like.
• Salt and pepper
• half and half or milk
• flour
• lemon juice to brighten it at the very end
• Creme fraiche or sour cream for garnish

Again, most things you probably have at home already, so what are you waiting for? Make this delicious soup of your dreams a reality! xo

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Creamy wild mushroom soup

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons of salted butter
• 4-5 cups of various fresh mushrooms use whatever variety you find at the store
• 1 ounce dried mushroom of choice if you can't find any that is all good, just leave it out and maybe increase the fresh mushrooms
• 1/2 cup finely chopped shallot or onion
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme or a teaspoon of dried thyme
• 2 teaspoons of dried dill
• 2 cloves garlic crushed and chopped
• 1 tablespoon of vegetable stock concentrate or chicken or veal demiglace very much OPTIONAL
• 1 cup of sherry or a white wine you have on hand - NO RED HERE
• 3 cups of vegetable stock or chicken stock
• 3 tablespoons of flour
• 1 cup half and half or milk
• 1 tablespoon of lemon juice see note below - for real, it is important
• creme fraiche or sour cream for garnish

Instructions

1. In your best soup pot or a dutch oven, melt the butter and sautee the mushrooms over high heat. You want a lot of color and caramelization on these so mushrooms first for about five minutes or so, stirring them around, then add your shallot or onion. Continue sauteeing for another five minutes to soften the onion, then add the garlic, thyme, dried dill and concentrated stock or demiglace (if using) and sautee just a few more minutes to melt the stock concentrate and soften the garlic.
2. Slowly pour in the sherry, while still on a high heat, and stir and scrape all the crispy goodness at the bottom of the pan for a few minutes. Pour in your stock. Bring to a simmer on medium and let this cook for about 10 minutes.
3. In the meantime, add your flour to you rhalf and half or milk (this is called a slurry) and whisk it up nice and thick.
4. After simmering the soup for about 10 minutes, slowly pour in the milk slurry, while stirring. Stir this completely into the soup and continue to simmer. This will thicken and 'cream' up the soup a bit, but not making it too thick - just perfect. Simmer for maybe 15 more minutes. And last but HUGE step - stir in your lemon juice right before finishing.
5. Garnish each bowl with a lil bit of creme fraiche or sour cream and nice hunk of bread for dipping.

Recipe Notes

And listen, here is a HUGE PRO TIP - if you don't have lemons and are all 'oh f--k now what I am gonna do I already started this soup,' do not worry...ADD VINEGAR, white vinegar, red wine vinegar, sherry vinegar, white wine vinegar, apple cider vinegar...ANY KIND OF VINEGAR. The point of the lemon juice is to give this soup balance and it needs acidity to balance the flavors. Vinegar does exactly the same thing as lemon juice here, so use it if you don't have a lemon.

Need more soup ideas? Here you go

• Ribolita
• Corn chowder
• Homemade tomato