MY MOM'S (aka THE BEST) MUSHROOM SOUP

This is the mushroom soup I grew up with and love, and because my family loves it also, we make it when we need a bit of comfort food. This is not a thick cream soup, but it is instead thickened with a bit of flour and potatoes toggle it a bit of creaminess. My mom’s recipe, like any good old recipe, doesn’t come with measurements, but is made in “a bit of this” and “a little more of that” fashion. It turns out slightly different each time, but it is always delicious. I hope you try it and it becomes your favourite, also.

HERE IS WHAT YOU NEED:

3 cups mushrooms - a mix or a choice of portobello, cremini, oyster, white button (remember that the more flavourful the mushrooms are, the better the soup will be)

1 oz (or a bit more) dried porcini mushrooms

1 medium onion, chopped

2 garlic cloves, minced

2 medium potatoes, peeled and quartered

2 ribs celery, chopped small

1 larger carrot, peeled and grated

1 teaspoon tomato paste

1 1/2 tablespoons flour

2 bay leaves

3 sprigs thyme

1 litre chicken or vegetable stock

1 litre water

salt

pepper

olive oil

Firstly, prepare your mushrooms and vegetables. Clean and chop mushrooms (in about 1/4 inch slices or cubes, depending on the mushrooms you are using). Place dry porcini mushrooms in a bowl and pour warm water over the top, just enough to cover them. Place a plate over the bowl and let soak for 15 to 20 minutes, or until soft. When soft, take out of the water, squeeze mushrooms to remove excess water and chop finely. Do not discard the water, you’ll be needing it for the soup. Chop onion, celery and garlic, grate carrot (on smaller holes, the ones you’d use for cheese).

In a large pot, heat about 2 tablespoons of olive oil and add onions, celery and carrots. Sauté until tender, then add garlic and continue cooking for another minute.

When the vegetables are ready, stir in flour, and cook for a couple of minutes to get the flour toasted, making sure it doesn’t burn. Lastly, stir in tomato paste and fry for another minute or so.

Pour in a bit of stock, stir, making sure you don’t have any lumps, then add the rest of it and the water, stirring. Add quartered potatoes, bay leaves and thyme. Bring to boil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

In a separate sauté pan, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When ready, add the chopped mushrooms. Sprinkle some salt over them so they release their water. Continue cooking and stirring until all the water has evaporated and the mushrooms begin to brown.

Add browned mushrooms to the soup, then add chopped porcini and their liquid (don’t add all of it, discard the last couple of tablespoons, there is usually some grit at the bottom).

Cook for about 20 minutes, until potatoes are soft.

When potatoes are cooked, fish them out of the soup into a bowl, and mash them (this will further thicken the soup). Return mashed potatoes to the soup. Continue cooking for another 10 minutes or so. Taste for seasoning and add salt and pepper if necessary.

Serve with a dollop of sour cream.