One-Pot Wonders
by: lastnightsdinner
September29,2009
4.6
5 Ratings
- Makes one big pot, which can serve a few or many
Jump to Recipe
Author Notes
This soup is built on a mushroom preparation I’ve had in my arsenal for years, a combination of dried and fresh mushrooms cooked down with seasonings until they are soft and coated in a silky glaze. I usually use this mixture to sauce pasta or top crostini, but I decided to soup-ify it by combining it with a shiitake and Parmesan broth, which came together while I was cooking down the mushrooms. I always save and freeze Parmesan rinds, shiitake stems, and leek tops, and I figured the combination would produce a broth that would complement and enhance the mushrooms’ earthy flavor. We loved this soup in its more rustic form (unblended), but for fun I also decided to press some through a fine mesh strainer to make it smoother. I poured that batch into shot glasses, which would be a great way to serve it as a first course or at a holiday gathering. —lastnightsdinner
- Test Kitchen-Approved
What You'll Need
Ingredients
- For the Parmesan-shiitake broth:
- 1 cupshiitake stems, cleaned
- 1 Parmesan rind, about 1-inch wide and 2 to 3 inches in length
- 1 leek top (the green part farthest from the white bottom), about 3 inches in length, rinsed well
- 2 to 3 sprigs fresh thyme
- 6 cupswater
- 1 tablespoonkosher or sea salt
- For the velvety mushroom soup:
- 1 cupdried mixed wild mushrooms
- 1 cupboiling water
- 1 poundcremini or white button mushrooms (or use shiitake stems)
- 1 ouncewild mushrooms, such as shiitake, oyster, maitake, chanterelles, etc.
- 3 tablespoonsunsalted butter
- 3 tablespoonsextra-virgin olive oil
- 1 cupdiced shallot or onion
- Kosher or sea salt
- 1 tablespoontomato paste
- 1/4 cupsweet red vermouth
- 6 cupsParmesan-shiitake broth or prepared vegetable or mushroom stock
- 1 tablespoonsherry vinegar
- 1 to 2 tablespoonsfresh thyme leaves
Directions
- For the Parmesan-shiitake broth:
- Combine all ingredients in a heavy-bottomed pot and bring to a boil. Cover and reduce the heat, then simmer for about 45 minutes. Remove the solids from the broth (use your fingers or a utensil, or strain the broth through a sieve) and discard. Use broth immediately, or cool and refrigerate (for up to 1 week) or freeze (for up to several months) for future use.
- For the velvety mushroom soup:
- Soak the dried mushrooms in the boiling water until they are soft. Lift the softened mushrooms from the liquid and gently squeeze them out, reserving the soaking liquid. Strain the liquid through a coffee filter to remove any grit, and set the soaking liquid aside. Roughly chop the softened mushrooms and set aside.
- Remove any soil or dirt from the fresh mushrooms with a soft brush or cloth. Trim the bottoms of the cremini or button mushrooms and slice them lengthwise. If using shiitakes, remove the stems and slice the caps. If using oyster, maitake, or chanterelles, gently tear them into small pieces.
- Combine the butter and olive oil in a very large wide skillet over medium heat until the butter is melted. Add the shallot and a pinch of salt and cook until softened and translucent.
- Add the softened dried mushrooms and stir well to coat them with the butter and oil. Cook for a few minutes, add the fresh mushrooms and another pinch of salt, and cook for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring to coat them with oil.
- Allow the fresh mushrooms to cook over medium heat, uncovered, until they are soft, shrinking, and beginning to brown.
- Clear a spot in the bottom of the skillet and add the tomato paste, allowing it to cook for a minute or two before stirring it through the mushrooms.
- Continue to cook until the mushrooms are browned at the edges, then add the vermouth, stirring through and scraping up any browned bits from the bottom of the pan.
- When most of the liquid has evaporated, add the reserved mushroom soaking liquid. Cook down until the mushrooms are glazed with the reduced liquid, stirring occasionally.
- Heat the broth in a large, heavy-bottomed pot and add the mushroom mixture to the hot broth. Purée with an immersion blender or in a blender or food processor until smooth.
- Add the sherry vinegar and thyme and stir through. Taste and adjust seasoning if necessary.
Tags:
- Soup
- Vegetable
- Mushroom
- Shallot
- Sherry
- Thyme
- Vermouth
- Vinegar
- One-Pot Wonders
- Slow Cooker
- Fall
- Winter
Contest Entries
- Your Best Mushroom Soup
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4 Reviews
Jim August 31, 2023
This is our go to party trick! It’s become a tradition to greet party guests with a “velvet mushroom shooter” when they enter the house. (I always reserve a small amount of the broth without the cheese rind to make it Vegan friendly for our Vegan guests).
Amy L. January 30, 2021
I’ve been intrigued by this recipe and finally made it today. It’s rich with flavor and creamy despite having no cream. I had to make a few substitutes on mushroom types but still delicious. Will definitely make it again!
Debbie November 8, 2016
Can you make the soup ahead or freeze it?
Yirgach October 25, 2015
Has anyone even tried to make this recipe?
It is mixed metaphor - Volume and Weight.
Not a good idea...
In the future, please try to be consistent.
