Sep 28, 2016

Wild mushroom & sausage soup

<<<<Let me start with a disclaimer here: although very yummy, it was kind of hard to take a photo that made this soup look appetizing. Mushrooms and sausage are kinda weird looking. Also, this soup tastes better the following day. >>>>

Perhaps you do most of your foraging for wild mushrooms in the woods, or maybe you do most of your foraging at your local grocery store or farmers market. No matter, as long as you are able to get some wild mushroom- this herbaceous, hearty soup is a perfect fall meal, especially when paired with garlic bread. I chose to leave the mushrooms chunky, but if you prefer a blended soup- you could just as easily blend the mushrooms (leaving the sausage out) before adding to the velouté. This recipe uses two pots, and for that, I am sorry.

Ingredients:

For velouté:

3 tablespoons butter

3 tablespoons flour

1 quart chicken stock

1 bay leaf

2 sprigs thyme

For soup:

1/8 lb sausage, formed into small bite-sized balls (I used sage breakfast sausage)

Avocado oil

3/4 lbs wild mushrooms, chopped (I used a combination of chanterelles & lobster mushrooms)

4 small shallots, chopped

1 tablespoon butter

1.5 cup dry white wine

3/4 cup room temperature whole milk, or heavy cream

1. In a stock pot, heat chicken broth until simmering.

2. In a medium sized saucepan melt butter over medium high heat until it begins to foam, but not brown.

3. Whisk in flour and continue to stir for 2 minutes.

4. Whisk chicken broth into roux, add bay and thyme and keep below a simmer, stirring often.

5. In the stock pot, heat a small amount of oil and brown sausage.

6. Using a slotted spoon, remove cooked sausage to a papertowel.

7. Over medium heat, cook shallots until they begin to sweat. Add mushrooms.

8. Now here is where there is going to be some variation depending on the moisture content of your mushrooms. Most mushrooms will release some amount of water- which is good, because it helps them cook and intensifies their flavor as they reabsorb it. So, cook the mushrooms with a pinch of salt, until they have released their liquid and it has evaporated. Add butter and let them brown a bit.

9. Add wine and reduce by half. (If you wanted a smooth soup- this is where you would blend this mixture)

10. Whisk velouté into mixture, and let cook for a few minutes. Remove from heat.

11. Once it has stopped bubbling, slowly whisk in milk or cream and add back in the sausage. Reheat gently if needed. Season with salt and fresh cracked black pepper to taste.

Serve with garlic bread!