Wild Mushroom Soup

Cook your foraged finds into simple sautées, creamy risottos, and warming soups and stews for the season. (Jennifer McGruther)

Mushrooms have a deep savory flavor that blends beautifully with thyme and cream. If you can’t find wild mushrooms, you can use cultivated mushrooms. The trick is to use a variety of them, which gives the soup its best flavor.

Serves 6

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
• 1 medium shallot, coarsely chopped
• 3 ribs celery, coarsely chopped
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 pounds wild mushrooms, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons fresh thyme leaves
• 2 teaspoons fine sea salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground black pepper
• 3 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream

Warm a Dutch oven on the stove over medium heat, then add the butter and olive oil. Cook until the butter melts and begins to froth.

Toss in the shallot and celery, sautéing them in the hot fat until they soften and become fragrant, about 4 minutes. Deglaze the pan by stirring in the white wine, then stir in the mushrooms. Sprinkle them with thyme, salt, and pepper. Stirring occasionally, let the mushrooms cook with the shallot and onions until they soften and release their liquid, about 3 minutes further.

Pour in the broth, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. As soon as the pot reaches a boil, turn down the heat to medium-low and simmer until the mushrooms are completely soft and cooked through, about 15 more minutes.

Turn off the heat, and stir in the cream. Then blend with an immersion blender until smooth. Ladle into bowls and serve right away, or transfer to the fridge to keep for up to 3 days.

This recipe originally appeared at NourishedKitchen.com and is reprinted by permission of the author.