Creamy Forest Mushroom Soup with Thyme and Croutons - photo 1
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Creamy Forest Mushroom Soup with Thyme and Croutons

Pikantne Christmas Eve Soups Soups Vegetarian Dishes 75 min Medium 10 wyświetleń ~32.71 PLN - (0)
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Description

Velvety and essential cream soup made from dried forest mushrooms is the essence of the Christmas table in a modern rendition. Its deep, earthy umami flavor, derived from porcini and boletus mushrooms, is perfectly balanced by the sweetness of carrots and parsley, along with a fresh, herbal note of thyme. The smooth, creamy consistency of the soup, achieved through careful blending and the addition of cream, provides an excellent backdrop for crunchy, homemade garlic croutons. This dish is not only incredibly tasty but also very visually elegant. The beautiful beige-brown color of the soup, garnished with a dollop of cream, golden croutons, and green parsley, will be a true decoration for the holiday dinner. It is an ideal option for those who appreciate traditional flavors but are looking for a new, more refined form.

Ingredients (15)

Servings:
6
  • Dried forest mushrooms (porcini, boletus) 50 g
  • Onion 2 szt.
  • Garlic 3 ząbki
  • Carrot 1.9 szt.
  • Parsley root 1.3 szt.
  • Clarified butter or regular butter 82% 50 g
  • Vegetable broth 1500 ml
  • 30% cream 200 ml
  • Fresh thyme 8 g
  • Stale wheat bread (e.g. baguette, ciabatta) 120 g
  • Olive oil 30 ml
  • 🌿 Przyprawy
  • Salt 10 g
  • Pieprz czarny świeżo mielony 3 szczypty
  • ✨ Opcjonalne
  • Fresh parsley 0.3 pęczków
  • Truffle oil 5 g
💰 Szacowany koszt dania: ~32.71 PLN (5.45 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 mushrooms in a medium bowl and pour about 500 ml of hot, but not boiling, water over them. Make sure all the mushrooms are submerged. Let them sit for at least 30 minutes to soften and release their aroma. After this time, use a slotted spoon to remove the mushrooms onto a cutting board, but ABSOLUTELY DO NOT POUR OUT the water they soaked in - that is the essence of flavor! Strain this water through a very fine sieve or cheesecloth to get rid of any sand and set aside.

Ingredients: Dried forest mushrooms (porcini, boletus)
Use a glass or ceramic bowl. The water should be about 80-90°C. If the mushrooms are very large, you can soak them for up to an hour. Carefully filter the water after the mushrooms, as sand in the soup is the most common mistake.
2

While the mushrooms are soaking, prepare the vegetables. Peel the onions and chop them into small cubes (about 0.5 cm x 0.5 cm). Peel the carrot and parsley root with a vegetable peeler, then chop them into similarly sized cubes. Peel the garlic cloves and finely chop them with a knife or press them through a garlic press. Also chop the soaked mushrooms into smaller pieces.

Ingredients: Onion, Garlic, Carrot, Parsley root, Dried forest mushrooms (porcini, boletus)
To cut vegetables into even cubes, first slice them lengthwise into strips, then cut the strips into sticks, and finally chop the sticks into cubes. The finer you chop the vegetables, the quicker they will cook and the easier it will be to blend the soup into a smooth cream.

Cooking the soup

3

In a large pot with a thick bottom (about 4 liters capacity), melt the butter over medium heat. When the butter starts to foam, add the chopped onion. Sauté for about 5-7 minutes, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon, until the onion becomes soft and translucent. Then add the chopped carrot and parsley, and sauté for another 5 minutes. Finally, add the minced garlic and sauté for another minute until it releases its aroma.

Ingredients: Clarified butter or regular butter 82%, Onion, Carrot, Parsley root, Garlic
Use a heavy-bottomed pot to prevent the vegetables from burning. Do not allow the onion or garlic to brown, as this will give the soup a bitter taste. Regular stirring is key.
4

Add the chopped, soaked mushrooms to the sautéed vegetables. Increase the heat slightly and sauté everything together for about 3-4 minutes, stirring. We want the mushrooms to brown slightly and release their aroma into the vegetables. This is an important step in building the depth of flavor in the soup.

Ingredients: Dried forest mushrooms (porcini, boletus)
Don't skip this step! Sautéing the mushrooms before adding liquids intensifies their flavor.
5

Now pour the hot vegetable broth into the pot along with the reserved, filtered water from soaking the mushrooms. Add whole sprigs of thyme, a teaspoon of salt (about 5g), and a few pinches of freshly ground pepper. Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to the minimum, cover the pot, and simmer for about 25-30 minutes, until all the vegetables are completely soft.

Ingredients: Vegetable broth, Fresh thyme, Salt, Pieprz czarny świeżo mielony
Slow cooking (a gentle 'simmer' rather than a vigorous boil) allows the flavors to meld together slowly. Remember to season the soup to taste later - for now, we only add the basic amount of salt.

Preparation of the toast

6

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 cubes to a bowl, drizzle with olive oil, and sprinkle with a pinch of salt and pepper. Mix thoroughly by hand to ensure each crouton is coated with oil. Spread the croutons in a single layer on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place in the oven for 8-10 minutes, until they become golden and crispy. Stir them with a spatula halfway through baking.

Ingredients: Stale wheat bread (e.g. baguette, ciabatta), Olive oil, Salt, Pieprz czarny świeżo mielony
Alternatively, you can fry the croutons in a pan. Heat oil in a large skillet and fry the bread cubes over medium heat, stirring frequently, until they are evenly golden. Store the croutons in an open container to keep them crispy.

Finishing the soup

7

When the vegetables in the soup are soft, remove the pot from the heat. Using tongs or a fork, pick out and discard the thyme sprigs. Now it's time to blend. Use an immersion blender and blend the soup directly in the pot for a few minutes until you achieve a perfectly smooth, velvety consistency. Move the blender up and down and around the entire pot to leave no lumps.

WARNING: Blending hot liquids requires caution! If you are using a countertop blender, wait 10 minutes for the soup to cool slightly. Fill the jar no more than halfway, remove the small plug from the lid, and cover the opening with a folded kitchen towel. This will allow steam to escape and prevent an 'explosion'. Blend in batches.
8

Place the pot with the blended soup back on low heat. Pour in the 30% cream and whisk vigorously to combine it with the soup. Heat for 2-3 minutes, but do not bring to a boil, as the cream may curdle. Taste the soup and adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper if needed.

Ingredients: 30% cream, Salt, Pieprz czarny świeżo mielony
To prevent the cream from curdling, you can temper it. Pour a ladle of hot soup into the bowl with the cream, mix, and then pour it all back into the pot. This will equalize the temperatures.

Serving

9

Ladle the hot soup into deep bowls or plates. Place a generous handful of crunchy croutons in the center of each serving. Garnish with chopped fresh parsley. Additionally, to enhance the aroma, you can drizzle each portion with a few drops of truffle oil.

Ingredients: Fresh parsley, Truffle oil
Serve the soup immediately after preparation so that the croutons remain crispy. You can warm the bowls beforehand by pouring hot water into them for a moment, which will help the soup maintain its temperature longer.

Fun Fact

💡

In Polish tradition, mushroom soup on the Christmas Eve table symbolized the gifts of the forest and the connection between humans and nature. Mushrooms, as harvests gathered from the forest rather than cultivated fields, were considered humble and fasting food, perfectly fitting the character of the supper.

Best for

Kolacja Wigilijna Elegancki obiad jesienny Zimowe przyjęcie Danie wegetariańskie dla gości

Tips

🍽️ Serving

Serve the soup in warmed, deep bowls. Instead of croutons, you can serve it with puffed peas, small dumplings with cabbage and mushrooms, or noodles. For an extra decoration, before adding the croutons, you can create a pattern on the surface of the soup using a few drops of cream.

🥡 Storage

Soup can be stored in the refrigerator in a tightly sealed container for up to 3 days. Reheat over low heat, avoiding boiling. Store croutons separately in an airtight container at room temperature to maintain their crunchiness. Freezing soup is not recommended due to the addition of cream, which may separate after thawing.

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