Wild Mushroom Chowder with Porcini Essence

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By Request: Wild Mushroom Chowder with Porcini Essence

Wild Mushroom Chowder with Porcini Essence

Yield: Approx. 8 Servings (Double or Triple the Recipe for desired Portions)

Ingredients:

1 cup Hot Water
1/2 cup Cognac
1/2 ounce Dried Morrell Mushrooms
1/2 ounce Dried Porcini Mushrooms
1/2 ounce Dried Shiitake Mushrooms
1/2 cup onion, cut into 1/4" dice
1/2 cup celery, cut into 1/4" dice
1 Tbsp. Fresh Garlic, minced
1/2 cup Fresh Cremini Mushrooms, sliced approx. 1/8" thick
1/2 cup Fresh Buttom Mushrooms, sliced approx. 1/8" thick
4 Tbsp. Unsalted Butter
2 Tbps. All-Purpose Flour
4 cups Vegetable or Chicken Stock, heated
2 cups of Whole Milk, scalded
4 fresh Thyme Sprigs + 2 Bay Leaves, wrapped in Cheesecloth, tied tightly with Butcher's String
Kosher Salt and White Pepper to taste
8 tsp. of Porcini OR Truffle Oil (then it's a Truffle Essence)

Method:

Place the dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with the Cognac and the Hot Water to rehydrate. Let sit for 20 mintues, then drain, but reserve the liquid. If the dried mushrooms were bought whole, julienne into approx. 1/4" thickness and set aside. Heat the butter in a heavy saucepan or stock pot on medium high, and saute the onion, garlic, and celery until tranlucent, but not brown. Add the Fresh mushrooms and about a 1/2 tsp. of Kosher Salt. Saute until mushrooms are just cooked through, about 3-4 minutes. Add in the flour to the vegetable and mushroom mixture, constantly stirring to create a "blonde roux", about 5-6 minutes, but be careful not to break up the mushrooms. Add the heated stock, 1/2 a cup at a time, while stirring so that the roux does not clump. Add the sliced rehydrated mushrooms, the Cognac-Mushroom liquid, the Scalded Milk, and the Thyme-Bay Leaves. Bring to a boil and lightly simmer for 30 minutes while stirring every few minutes to prevent any burning or sticking. Season to taste with the Kosher Salt and White Pepper. Serve immediately and using the Porcini or Truffle Oil, drizzle approx. 1 tsp. per portion over the soup.

**This soup is delicious served with crostini, or a nice, dry, crusty bread. For garnishing, in addition to the Porcini or Truffle Oil, you may use sprigs of fresh thyme, or deep fried leeks lightly coated in flour.

**While the Dried Mushrooms are rehydrating, use that time to bring the stock and the milk up to temperature so that you are not waiting for it. Adding cold stock and milk will cause the roux to clump, and may cause the milk to curdle
 
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