This potato cream soup with porcini mushrooms is a fine aromatic soup that always reminds me of a spruce and pine forest full of mushrooms and berries, bringing on lovely memories of my summer mountain holidays. It is really easy to make but it is guaranteed to please your heart, especially when the winter seems too long!
Ingredients:
Serves 6:
- 600g potatoes, peeled and diced
- 1400ml cold water
- 2 chicken stock cubes
- 200g onion, finely chopped
- 2 tbsp (40g) plain flour
- 50g butter
- 10g ground dried porcini mushrooms
- 100 ml whipping cream (optional)
- White pepper
- Fresh chives
- Fresh button mushrooms to decorate
- 1 tbps olive oil
Method:
Ground Dried Porcini Mushrooms
Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a food processor and grind until a fine dust is obtained. This works brilliantly as a form of a spice – it will provide a beautiful aroma added to soups, sauces or meat.
Pan fried fresh button mushrooms
Wash the mushrooms well to get rid of any dirt and dry them with a kitchen paper towel. Leave smaller mushrooms whole, halve larger ones.
Heat the olive oil in a frying pan and add the mushrooms. It is important that the mushrooms are in a single layer to make sure they become golden and crispy, rather than stewed. When nice and golden-brown, remove from heat and use to decorate the soup.
Soup
In a large pan, melt the butter over low to medium heat, add the flour and stir, until the mixture (roux) turns light brown. Add 1400 ml cold water and stir well. Then add the potatoes and onions and bring to the boil.
Add the chicken stock cubes and ground porcini mushrooms (10g) and boil until the potatoes and onions are soft.
Use a stick blender to turn the soup into a smooth thick cream. Add a pinch of pepper and salt to taste and the whipping cream if desired. You can also use double cream, but single cream can clot in the hot soup, creating unsightly white flakes.
When serving, add 4-5 fried mushrooms on top to decorate and sprinkle with fresh chives.
Alternatively, the soup can be enjoyed with croutons or baguette.
Bon appétite!
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