Champignon Soup Recipes

CHAMPIGNON SOUP

Steps:

• Clean, trim and thinly slice fresh mushrooms, rinsing well to remove sand. (If using dried mushrooms, soak in 2 cups hot water until soft, about 20 minutes. Remove mushrooms and reserve liquid. Squeeze mushrooms dry, rinse and coarsely chop. Pour liquid through a fine sieve.)
• Sauté the mushrooms, celery and onion in melted butter over medium heat for 2 minutes. Add the chicken broth or water (or the soaking water and 2 cups broth or water) and simmer 20 minutes.
• Strain the soup and purée the solids with some cooking liquid. (The fresh mushroom soup may be served without puréeing.) Return the purée to the pan and stir in the remaining cooking liquid, adding water if the soup is too thick. Season to taste with salt, pepper and vermouth or sherry. Stir in parsley and garnish generously with chervil.

CHEF JOHN'S CREAMY MUSHROOM SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat; cook mushrooms in butter with 1 pinch salt until the mushrooms give off their juices; reduce heat to low. Continue to cook, stirring often, until juices evaporate and the mushrooms are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Set aside a few attractive mushroom slices for garnish later, if desired. Mix onion into mushrooms and cook until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 more minutes.
• Stir flour into mushroom mixture and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes to remove raw flour taste. Tie thyme sprigs into a small bundle with kitchen twine and add to mushroom mixture; add garlic cloves. Pour chicken stock and water into mushroom mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 hour. Remove thyme bundle.
• Transfer soup to a blender in small batches and puree on high speed until smooth and thick.
• Return soup to pot and stir in cream. Season with salt and black pepper and serve in bowls, garnished with reserved mushroom slices and a few thyme leaves.

MUSHROOM SOUP (SOUPE AUX CHAMPIGNONS)

Steps:

• Melt half of the butter in a large saucepan and add the onion and celery. Cook, stirring often, about two minutes. Add the mushrooms and lemon juice and stir. Cover and cook over low heat about 15 minutes.
• Sprinkle the mushroom mixture with flour and stir to coat evenly. Add the broth and stir. Simmer, uncovered, about 10 minutes.
• Pour and scrape the mixture into the container of a food processor. Process to a fine puree. Return the mixture to a saucepan and bring to the boil. Swirl in the remaining two tablepoons of butter and add a generous grinding of pepper. Add the wine and serve hot.