Mushroom Soup with Foraged Hedgehog Mushrooms
Here is a mushroom soup that I made with foraged hedgehog mushroom from Scott Moran @kelownaforager. These are special, fragrant variety that is similar to chanterelles but the underside does not have the normal gills or pores but rather soft hair or spine-like structure under the cap. I first tried them this summer and was quite taken by their perfume. It was quite amazing really, such prominent fragrance.
I used them un different ways, sautéed, roasted, on pizza, with pasta and with rice. This batch made it into a soup and it was delicious. If you don’t have access to hedgehogs, which likely now you don’t, replace them with chanterelles.
The soup is very simple, includes only a couple of aromatics and a lot of mushrooms. I like adding roasted garlic here, it adds a sweetness that matches the fragrance of the mushrooms. Other than that you can keep the soup vegan or add cream but one thing I like in mushrooms soup is a bit of sherry, added after the mushrooms and allowed to evaporate before adding the stock.
In terms of texture, I pureed the soup in a blender, adding some of the reserved mushrooms for texture later.
I hope it works for you. Enjoy.
This soup serves 4.
Hedgehog mushrooms
Ingredients:
1/4 cup olive oil, more as needed
1 medium onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove minced
1 roasted large garlic clove
6 cups hedgehog or chanterelles mushrooms, roughly chopped
1/3 cup sherry
6-8 cups stock
Salt and pepper
Directions:
Heat olive oil and a soup pot, add onion and cook on medium heat until translucent.
Add both garlics and cook until fragrant. Don’t let the garlic bur,
Add the mushrooms and cook a couple of minutes, add more oil as needed. The mushrooms absorb the oil rapidly and you will need more. If you are concerned about using oil then use a little bit of stock instead.
Add the sherry and cook until it almost evaporates.
Remove some of the mushroom and set aside to use as garnish on top of the soup.
Add the 4 cups of the stock and bring to a boil.
Lower heat and cook for about 30 minutes, stirring occasionally and adding more stock as necessary. You will need between 6-8 cups all together. I like to add less in the beginning and add more as the soup cooks.
When the soup is ready and the mushrooms are cooked through, taste and adjust the seasoning.
Puree with an immersion blended or a blender and return to the pot.
If the soup is too thin let it cook until it reaches the consistency you like. If it’s too thick, add more stock.
If you add cream add it now. If I use cashew cream I prefer to swirl it into the soup in the bowl.
To serve ladle the soup into deep bowls, garnish with the reserved mushroom and a few chopped herbs and serve hot.
Foraged wiled mushrooms from Scott Moran
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