Wild Mushroom Soup

By Maverick19

Another great soup from The Silver Palate shop, from Manhattan, in the late 70's

Ingredients

• 2 oz dried crepes, morels or chanterelles
• 1/4 cup Madeira wine
• 8 Tbsp (1 stick) sweet butter
• 2 cups finely chopped yellow onions
• 2 pounds fresh mushrooms
• salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 cups Chicken Stock
• 1 pint heavy cream (optional)

Preparation

Step 1

1. Rinse the dried mushrooms well in a sieve under cold running water and soak them in the Madeira for 1 hour, stirring occasionally.
2. Melt the butter in a soup pot. Add the onions and cook, covered, over low heat until they are tender and lightly colored, about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Trim stems from the fresh mushrooms and save for another use. Wipe caps with a damp cloth and slice thin. Add caps to the soup pot, season to taste with salt and pepper, and cook over low heat, uncovered, stirring frequently, for 15 minutes.
4. Carefully lift mushrooms from bowl with a slotted spoon and transfer to soup pot. Let Madeira settle a moment and then pour carefully into soup pot, leaving sediment behind.
5. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 45 minutes, or until dried mushrooms are very tender.
6. Strain the soup and transfer the solids to the bowl of a food processor fitted with a steel blade. Add 1 cup of the liquid and puree until very smooth.
7. Return puree to the soup pot along with remaining liquid and set over medium heat. Taste, correct seasoning, and thin the soup slightly with heavy cream if it seems too thick. Heat until steaming and serve immediately.