my first impulse upon meeting a mushroom is to drown it in a river of cream, fino sherry, and butter. i got to thinking that this was not the friendliest approach on my part, tucking them away before i even got to know them, using them merely as an excuse to consume excessive quantities of spanish booze and dairy fat. given proper attention, mushrooms are very lovely in their own right. this soup is my ode to them. but for a bit of herbs, onion, and garlic, the rest of it is entirely mushroom--earthy and warm with the mysterious ability to open up with each spoonful. it was hard to resist adding a five second pour of cream at the end, but i was surprised to find the texture already quite creamy and full. the taste followed suit. dearest funghi--what a pleasure it has been to meet you. let's do this again.
vegan mushroom soup
(serves 6 - 8)
2 ounces dried mushrooms (porcini or morels work well)
2 springs rosemary
2 springs sage
1/2 cup olive oil
1 yellow onion, diced
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 pound white button mushrooms, wiped clean and thinly sliced
1 pound shiitake mushrooms, wiped clean and thinly sliced
2 quarts mushroom broth or stock (i use pacific brand)
almond milk, crushed walnuts, thyme for garnish (optional)
place the dried mushrooms in a medium bowl. bring 1 1/2 cups water to a boil and pour it over the mushrooms. let the mushrooms sit for 20 - 30 minutes, until reconstituted. strain the muhrooms through a paper towel lined strainer or a coffee filter to remove any grit, reserving the mushroom soaking water. coarsely chop the reconstituted mushrooms.
pour the olive oil in a large pot or dutch oven and heat over medium-high heat. when the oil shimmers, add the rosemary and sage, pressing against the pot to release their flavor into the oil. cook for 1 - 2 minutes. add the onion and cook until softened, 7-10 minutes, then add the garlic and cook a minute more. add the shiitake mushrooms and button mushrooms to the pot and cook until the mushrooms release their liquid and shrink in size, about 7-10 minutes. add the reconstituted mushrooms, reserved water, and mushroom broth. bring to a boil and then reduce to simmer. allow to simmer for 30 minutes.
remove the rosemary and sage sprigs from the soup. using a blender, puree the soup in batches. you may want to reserve 1 - 2 cups of unpureed mushrooms to add to the soup for texture. re-warm the soup, if needed, over low heat. serve hot, garnished with a drizzle of almond milk, walnuts, and thyme leaves.