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Sunday, February 24, 2013

Wild Mushroom Soup

This wild mushroom soup, topped with beautiful pan-fried brown beech mushrooms and a drizzle of truffle oil is based on Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles recipe. It's rich and comforting, a great bowl for a cold night or a light lunch.

Food Lust People Love: This wild mushroom soup, topped with beautiful pan-fried brown beech mushrooms and a drizzle of truffle oil is based on Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles recipe. It's rich and comforting, a great bowl for a cold night or a light lunch.

We have a Christmas tradition of giving our girls some spending money and setting them free in a mall to buy the gifts of their choosing for each other and for us.  I’m trying to remember how old they were the first time we felt safe letting them go off together but I daresay they were around 10 and 12.  Of course, I was in the mall doing my own shopping and elder daughter had a cell phone by that time.

Our mall of choice was KLCC or Kuala Lumpur City Centre because 1. It was the best mall in KL at the time and 2. We knew it well. I found out after the first couple of years that my girls had an additional tradition of their own. They would amble around just looking until there was only a half hour left until our designating meeting time. Then they would run around the mall in a frantic attempt to buy all the things they had chosen. I am told that that was the best part, like a treasure hunt and a logistics test with a time constraint. I think they would be great contestants on the Amazing Race.  I don’t recall them ever being late, although they often arrived out of breath. And the system clearly works because their carefully chosen gifts are always thoughtful and perfect for the intended recipient.

Which brings us to this week’s Sunday Supper recipe, adapted from one of those precious Christmas gifts, Anthony Bourdain’s Les Halles Cookbook.  Everyone is making soup this week so make sure to scroll down to the bottom and see what the rest of the #SundaySupper group are cooking up.

My girls knew I enjoyed watching the snarky and amusing Mr. Bourdain on television and they guessed that I would love his cookbook.  They were exactly right.  Okay, we’re all friends here so I am going to embarrass myself for your amusement and show you my “delighted” photo just after I opened the present on Christmas Day 2006.  In my nightgown.  Feel free to make your own snarky remarks for my amusement and we’ll be even.


One of my favorite recipes from Les Halles is the mushroom soup.  Mr. Bourdain suggests in the after note that to boost flavor and impress friends, wild mushrooms can be added to the mix, so I usually add whatever mushrooms I have on hand and love to add the wild ones on occasion.

Wild Mushroom Soup

This soup is divine even with just button mushrooms (his original ingredient) though so use what you can find in your local grocery store.  But make this soup.

Ingredients for 5-6 warming bowls of mushroomy deliciousness
18 oz or 510g assorted mushrooms (I used Swiss brown, button and shiitake.)
1/2 oz or 14g dried wild mushrooms
1 medium onion
1/2 cup or 110g butter
Olive oil
6 cups or almost 1 1/2 lts chicken or vegetable stock
(I used both vegetable and mushroom stock cubes to make my stock for a delicious vegetarian version of which Mr. Bourdain would undoubtedly not approve.  Tough titties to him. God rest his soul.)
2 stalks fresh parsley
1/4 cup or 60ml dry sherry
Sea salt
Black pepper

For garnish
Handful brown beech or other small pretty mushrooms
2 teaspoons butter
Drizzle truffle oil

Method
Put your dried mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and cover with boiling water.  Set aside to rehydrate.  Sticking your nose in the bowl occasionally to inhale the earthy aroma is completely optional but highly recommended.


Meanwhile make sure your other mushrooms are clean and finely slice your onion.  I know folks say that you are not supposed to wash mushrooms with water since they will soak it up but I wash mine in a colander with cold running water and, especially for soup, a little extra moisture doesn’t hurt.


In a pot big enough to eventually hold all your ingredients, sauté your onions in about one-third of your butter (just eyeball it) and a drizzle of olive oil, until they are soft and translucent.



Drain your dried mushrooms through a fine mesh strainer or sieve and retain the liquid.  Pick the mushroom pieces out of the sieve and discard any small bits that cling to it, as sometimes these are actually dirt or grit.


Add the fresh mushrooms and the rest of the butter to the pot.  Cook for about eight minutes and then add in the stock, rehydrated dried mushrooms and their strained soaking liquid and the two stalks of parsley.




Bring the mixture to a boil and then lower the heat and simmer for about an hour.  Remove from the heat and allow to cool for 10-15 minutes.

Using a spoon, remove the parsley stalks and discard.


Transfer the mushrooms into your blender with a couple of cups of broth.  Blend until smooth, adding in more broth as needed.  Depending on the size of your blender, you may have to do this in two batches.



Heat a small frying pan until quite hot and add in two tablespoons of butter and immediately throw in your small mushrooms for garnish.  Pan fry them quickly to get a little color and then remove from the heat.


Return the pureed soup to the pot and rewarm.  Add the sherry to your soup and stir well.  Taste for salt and pepper and add some according to your taste, if necessary.


Serve each bowl of wild mushroom soup with a few of the little decorative mushrooms scattered on top and a drizzle of truffle oil.

Food Lust People Love: This wild mushroom soup, topped with beautiful pan-fried brown beech mushrooms and a drizzle of truffle oil is based on Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles recipe. It's rich and comforting, a great bowl for a cold night or a light lunch.

Enjoy!


I am a soup lover so I have a very good feeling that this is going to be my favorite #SundaySupper week! Just look at all these lovely soups!

Do The Chicken Dance (chicken {or other poultry} soups) 


Where’s The Beef (Beef Soups)

Pass The Pork. Please (Pork or Sausage Soups) 



Under The Sea (Seafood Soups) 


Eat Your Veggies (Chock Full o’ Vegetables Soups)



Some Don’t Like It Hot (Chilled Soups)



Pin this wild mushroom soup!

Food Lust People Love: This wild mushroom soup, topped with beautiful pan-fried brown beech mushrooms and a drizzle of truffle oil is based on Anthony Bourdain's Les Halles recipe. It's rich and comforting, a great bowl for a cold night or a light lunch.
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46 comments :

  1. Oh, I find Bourdain's writing unbearable; he is too aggressive for me (and even worse on screen). On the other hand, this soup looks lovely! Tell me, why do you love him? :)

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  2. He's funny and irreverent and his way with words makes me laugh. And on the cooking side, every recipe I've tried from the book has been delicious. He advocates using all parts of the animal when cooking, not just the pretty cuts. Everything! Which I think is so important. I do understand what you mean about the aggressiveness but I think it's just his offhand way. I like that he will crouch on the floor of a the lowliest hut to talk to the cook. For all his snarkiness, I think he's probably a nice guy.

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  3. I am not a Bourdain fan. But, I am a huge Stacy fan. And I appreciate your inclusion of shitake mushrooms as well as your vegetarian stock.


    Last and not least, thank you for sharing the endearing story of your girls in the KL mall.

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  4. 1. I ADORE mushroom soup. And now I'm craving it.

    2. There are about 4500 photos of me in my pyjamas on Christmas morning. With really bad hair and facial... issues. Should they ever be released to the internet, it would implode.

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  5. I ADORE mushrooms, so this soup looks wonderful to me, regardless of whether Mr. Bourdain approves of your stock.

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  6. Your soup is GORGEOUS!!! I love how thick it looks!!

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  7. Mushrooms was an acquired taste for me, but there was no turning back after. And a french mushroom soup like this one is simply wonderful, simply wonderful!

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  8. That looks absolutely wonderful and warm! I love soup so I've seen many a bowl and this one is one of the most beautiful I've seen!

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  9. Aww, Kim, you are so sweet! Thank you.

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  10. That would be a great idea for a funny website, like Awkward Family Photos. Christmas Morning Pajama Shots. Might be fun to see the internet implode. :)

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  11. Thank you! He's not fond of vegetarians but I am happy to make something vegetarian if I can.

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  12. It was really, really thick! Thank you!

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  13. Thank you, Paula! I must admit they weren't my favorite when I was a child, but I grew to love them too.

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  14. Thank you, Kelli! It was pretty tasty too.

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  15. I love the picture of you :) - What an awesome gift!!!


    The wild mushroom soup looks absolutely amazing! Mushrooms are so good, earthy, delicious....just fantastic! ~ Bea @ galactosemia in PDX

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  16. What a rich, gorgeous soup! This is the color mushroom soup should be!!! YUM!

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  17. What a delicious soup, I love mushrooms! I gave that cookbook to my brother, and he loves it too!

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  18. This soup is a real mushroom lovers treat!

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  19. Love Anthony Bourdain and your soup looks simply amazing!!

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  20. Look at all that mushroomy goodness! I can imagine the rich deep flavour and the thick texture. I've never actually had mushroom in a soup before - seems like something I'd really enjoy.

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  21. Thank you for your kind words, Bea! You would love the smell of the wild mushrooms as they soak. So wonderful. And you would love this soup!

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  22. Thanks, Liz! It is oddly creamy without the addition of any cream.

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  23. That it is! Thank you so much for your kind words.

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  24. You've got to try this, then, Lyn. You could probably cut down on the butter to make it healthier.

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  25. Love mushrooms, this soup looks delicious. Great photo ;)

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  26. Hi Stacy, this is perfect timing as Col is going to aledgedly need soft food in the next 6 weeks. I just bought your ingredients for your chicken noodle soup.
    X

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  27. For the chicken, you might want to shred it with a couple of forks then. Or use minced chicken the next time. Get Richard at Helen's to mince it for you from their fresh chicken breasts. The mushroom soup would be perfect as is. Lots of flavor and nothing to chew. :) Sending you all lots of love and be strong-get well prayers, Jane!

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  28. Thank you! I was rushing to take the last photos before the sun set completely. :) Needing longer days!

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  29. Those are some gorgeous mushrooms. Your soup looks amazing!

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  30. I'm a big fan of Anthony Bourdain too! His cookbook would be a wonderful gift! Kudos to you for posting a photo of yourself in a nightgown. It's something I don't know if I could do. No snarky comments from me. I admire the courage.

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  31. Nothing wrong with this bowl of goodness! The Bourdain mention is a bonus - I love him

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  32. I added it and deleted it at least twice before hitting Publish, Renee! I decided that it was worth the embarrassment for the comedic value, although you'll notice I didn't make it as large as the other photos. :) As our friend, Jenni Field says, Fearlessin2013! I'm working on that.

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  33. Thank you, Jennie. It's one of my favorite soups for sure.

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  34. Glad to know I'm not alone in his fan club!

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  35. Oh wow, this looks so rich and absolutely full-on mushroom - YUM!

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  36. Thank you, Heather. It's a little "baby food-ish" and thick but you might make an exception for this soup too. :)

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  37. I have been wanting to try Mushroom Soup and your recipe looks fabulous and can I tell you, I love the pic of you in the nightie! BEST #SundaySupper post this week!

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  38. You talking about the shopping trips to the KLCC is reminding me of when we were in Kula Lampur and went to the Sunway Pyramid Shopping Mall, I loved the store Rejects. I can't wait to go back now. By the way this mushroom soup looks fantastic.

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  39. Reject Shop has branches all over Malaysia and Singapore (not in fancy malls like KLCC though) and was one of the few places I could find clothes to fit, my -ahem- larger size. It was always worth a quick look-through because you never knew what you would find. I hope you do get back someday!

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  40. Thanks, Isabel! That means a lot coming from you!

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  41. I love love love this mushroom soup! so beautiful!!! and I am actually reading Medium Raw right now. . didn't read Kitchen Confidential but now I might have to! "Tough titties to him"- omg, love this!!!

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  42. This wonderful soup looks so flavorful!

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  43. Kitchen Confidential was the best, Alice! I also enjoyed A Cook's Tour. Thank you for your kind words.

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