Creamy Mushroom Soup with a Hint of Juniper and Herbed Croutons - photo 1
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Creamy Mushroom Soup with a Hint of Juniper and Herbed Croutons

Pikantne Christmas Eve Soups Soups Vegetarian Dishes 75 min Easy 12 wyświetleń ~27.51 PLN - (0)
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Description

Velvety cream of dried porcini mushrooms is the essence of a Polish Christmas Eve. This version of the classic mushroom soup is enriched with a subtle, forest note of juniper, which perfectly highlights the deep, earthy aroma of the mushrooms. The soup is thick, hearty, and warming, and its creamy texture, achieved by adding potatoes and cream, envelops the palate. Served with crispy, homemade herb croutons, it is not only an exquisite dish but also a true feast for the senses. Its deep brown color beautifully contrasts with a dollop of white cream and the green of fresh parsley. This dish evokes memories of family holidays and the scent of the forest on a winter evening. It is perfect as one of the twelve Christmas Eve dishes, setting a festive mood.

Ingredients (20)

Servings:
6
  • Dried porcini mushrooms 50 g
  • Onion 2 szt.
  • Carrot 1.9 szt.
  • Parsley root 1 szt.
  • Celeriac 100 g
  • Potatoes 4 szt.
  • Garlic 3 ząbki
  • Masło klarowane 3.3 łyżki
  • Vegetable broth 1500 ml
  • 30% cream 200 ml
  • Stale wheat bread 200 g
  • Olive oil 45 ml
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Jagody jałowca 6.3 szt.
  • Bay leaf 1.3 szt.
  • Allspice 0.8 g
  • Salt 10 g
  • Pieprz czarny świeżo mielony 2 szczypty
  • Dried thyme 1 łyżeczka
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Parsley 1 pęczek
  • Olej truflowy 1 łyżeczka
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~27.51 PLN (4.58 PLN/porcję)

💡 Kliknij na składnik aby oznaczyć jako użyty

Preparation steps

Preparation of mushrooms and vegetables

1

Start by preparing the mushrooms. Place the dried porcini in a bowl and cover them with about 500 ml of boiling water, ensuring they are completely submerged. Let them sit for at least 30 minutes to soften and release their aroma. After this time, strain the mushrooms through a fine sieve, but ABSOLUTELY DO NOT DISCARD the water – it is the essence of flavor! Chop the mushrooms into small cubes. Next, prepare the vegetables: peel and finely chop the onion, peel and crush the garlic or chop it very finely. Peel the carrot, parsley root, celery, and potatoes, and cut them into cubes about 1-1.5 cm on each side.

Ingredients: Dried porcini mushrooms, Onion, Garlic, Carrot, Parsley root, Celeriac, Potatoes
Use a sieve lined with cheesecloth or paper towels to drain the water from the mushrooms to remove any possible sand. The finer you chop the vegetables, the faster they will cook and the easier it will be to blend the soup into a smooth cream.

Cooking the soup

2

In a large pot with a thick bottom (about 4-5 liters capacity), heat the clarified butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and sauté, stirring occasionally with a wooden spoon, for about 5-7 minutes, until it becomes translucent and soft. Add the garlic and sauté for another minute, until it releases its aroma. Be careful not to burn it, as it will become bitter.

Ingredients: Masło klarowane, Onion, Garlic
A pot with a thick bottom prevents vegetables from burning and distributes heat evenly. Sweating the onion, rather than browning it, is key to achieving a sweet, mild flavor in the soup.
3

Add diced carrot, parsley, and celery to the sautéed onion. Sauté together for about 5 minutes, stirring to lightly caramelize the vegetables. Then add the chopped mushrooms and sauté for another 2-3 minutes. Finally, add the potatoes and stir everything together.

Ingredients: Carrot, Parsley root, Celeriac, Dried porcini mushrooms, Potatoes
A brief sauté of root vegetables and mushrooms before adding the broth brings out their deeper flavor and aroma.
4

Pour the hot vegetable broth and the reserved soaking water from the mushrooms into the pot with the vegetables. Add the spices: bay leaves, allspice, and juniper berries (you can lightly crush them with the handle of a knife to release more aroma). Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for about 25-30 minutes, until all the vegetables, especially the potatoes, are completely soft. You can check this by piercing a piece of potato with a fork - it should break apart easily.

Ingredients: Vegetable broth, Bay leaf, Allspice, Jagody jałowca
Cooking the soup over low heat with a lid allows the flavors to slowly meld and prevents excessive evaporation of the liquid. Using hot broth shortens the cooking time.

Preparation of herb croutons

5

While the soup is cooking, prepare the croutons. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan). Cut the stale bread into cubes about 1.5 cm on each side. Transfer the bread cubes to a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with dried thyme, a pinch of salt, and pepper. Mix thoroughly with your hands so that each crouton is evenly coated with oil and seasonings.

Ingredients: Stale wheat bread, Olive oil, Dried thyme, Salt, Pieprz czarny świeżo mielony
Using stale bread is key, as fresh bread will absorb too much oil and can become chewy instead of crispy. Mixing by hand ensures the best coating of spices.
6

Spread the prepared croutons on a large baking sheet lined with parchment paper, creating a single, even layer. Place in the preheated oven and bake for 10-15 minutes, until they become golden and crispy. Halfway through baking, it's a good idea to stir the croutons to ensure they brown evenly. Once baked, remove from the oven and let cool completely.

Do not place the toasts too closely on the baking sheet, as the steam will not be able to escape and the toasts will steam instead of baking until crispy. Keep an eye on them towards the end of baking, as they can easily burn.

Final touches to the soup

7

When the vegetables in the soup are soft, remove the pot from the heat. Using a slotted spoon, take out the bay leaves and allspice berries – their aroma is already in the soup, and leaving them could give a bitter taste after blending. Using an immersion blender, blend the soup directly in the pot until it is perfectly smooth and velvety. Blend for about 2-3 minutes, moving the blender up and down to aerate the soup and achieve a uniform consistency.

If you don't have an immersion blender, you can use a countertop blender. Remember to let the soup cool slightly and fill the jar no more than halfway. Cover the lid with a cloth to avoid burns from the hot steam. Blend in batches.
8

Place the pot with the blended soup back on low heat. In a separate bowl, temper the cream: pour a ladle of hot soup into it and whisk vigorously. Then, slowly pour the tempered cream into the pot with the soup, stirring constantly. Heat the soup for another 2-3 minutes, but do not bring it to a boil. Finally, season to taste with salt and freshly ground pepper.

Ingredients: 30% cream, Salt, Pieprz czarny świeżo mielony
Tempering the cream is a key step that prevents it from curdling in hot soup. Never pour cold cream directly into boiling dishes. Do not boil the soup after adding the cream, as it may lose its creamy consistency.
9

Serve the soup hot. Pour it into deep bowls or plates. Garnish each portion with chopped parsley. Additionally, to enhance the flavor, you can drizzle the soup with a few drops of truffle oil. Serve the crispy herb croutons in a separate bowl so that everyone can add them just before eating, keeping them crunchy.

Ingredients: Parsley, Olej truflowy
The soup can be prepared a day in advance, and just reheated before serving. The croutons are best made on the day of serving to ensure they are as crispy as possible.

Fun Fact

💡

The tradition of eating mushroom soup on Christmas Eve in Poland has pagan roots. Mushrooms, as gifts from the forest, symbolized strength, health, and a connection to the world of spirits and ancestors. It was believed that eating them on this special evening would ensure prosperity and protect the household from evil in the coming year.

Best for

Wigilia Uroczysty obiad zimowy Elegancka kolacja Jesienny posiłek

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the soup in warmed, deep bowls to keep it hot longer. For a 'wow' effect, you can place a few sautéed slices of wild mushrooms on the bottom of the bowl before pouring in the soup. Always serve the croutons separately. The soup also pairs wonderfully with cream puffs or noodles.

🥡 Storage

Soup (without croutons and decorations) can be stored in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days. Reheat on low heat, stirring frequently, without bringing it to a boil. The soup can also be frozen (without cream). To do this, blend it, cool it down, and freeze it. After thawing, heat it up and only then add the tempered cream.

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