Recipe Mushroom Bisque

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I have been eating this recipe for years. It is a nice thick soup that needs to be served completely pureed. It is best made in advance and allowed to mature because of the herbs and spices involved and it is lovely and warming. Serve with some nice wholesome fresh bread if you can.

I have also added both the veggie and the vegan versions. For either, get fresh tasty mushrooms. Not the cheap tasteless ones. You need the really firm, fresh ones and the colour of the gills will hugely influence the colour of the soup, so if you want a pink soup, get mushrooms with pink gills. The original recipe calls for button mushrooms but you get a much better flavour with open chestnut or field mushrooms, however the colour of the soup is much darker.

The original recipe comes from Vegetarian Kitchen by Sarah Brown.

Ingredients
3oz/75g butter or a generous 2tbsp cooking oil
2 medium onions chopped
½ tsp sea salt
1lb/500g chestnut mushrooms
1 tsp dried dill
1 tsp dried thyme
1 tbsp paprika
¼ tsp cayenne (or to taste - if you prefer more, add more!)
1L decent vegetable stock
1/4pt/150ml soured cream/crème fraiche/soya cream/oat cream or 1/2 cup of cashew nuts soaked overnight and pureed with some stock.
salt and freshly ground pepper
juice of 1 lemon

Method.

1. Heat the butter or butter and oil mixture in a large saucepan. Add the onion and fry gently for 10 minutes along with the ½ teaspoon of salt. (The salt will help to draw out all the juices and make the end result taste intense.) I also cover the pan at this stage because I can with my frying pan/casserole dish.
2. Add the dill, thyme, paprika and cayenne to the onions, stirring to ensure an even coating before adding the mushrooms to the pan . Stir and cover with the saucepan lid. This is essential Turn the heat down very low and cook for 7-10 minutes.
3. Pour in the vegetable stock and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for another 10 minutes or so.
4. Allow the soup to cool before puréeing/liquidising. This is a good place to leave the soup to mature and ideal if you are making it ahead of time.
5. Return the puréed soup to a clean saucepan and season if needed.
6. Add the sour cream/crème fraiche/liquidised cashew nuts. Be careful not to let the soup boil as the cream will curdle
7. Add the lemon juice to taste (I usually find 1 entire lemon is needed).
8. Serve hot with fresh bread.

 

[Morning Glory]

I really like this recipe and will certainly try it. I don't have dried dill but assume I can substitute dill seeds? I'll try adding almond milk instead of the creme fraiche, because I always have it to hand. I just might add a splash of sherry to the mushroom/onions as they are cooking down. Sherry works well with mushrooms. Sometimes I think when we cook vegetarian that we forget how much taste alcohol can add. I was going to do a new thread about that... well, perhaps I will!

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

I'm not certain that dill seeds will give the same taste. They are a spice not a herb and it is the dill weed or fresh dill that is needed for this recipe. Almond milk will work, I use creamed cashew nuts which works excellently. As for the sherry - I cant comment. I don't drink (except the occasional shared bottle of bitter where I will have 1 or 2 mouthfuls nothing more).

 

[Morning Glory]

I'm not certain that dill seeds will give the same taste. They are a spice not a herb and it is the dill weed or fresh dill that is needed for this recipe. Almond milk will work, I use creamed cashew nuts which works excellently. As for the sherry - I cant comment. I don't drink (except the occasional shared bottle of bitter where I will have 1 or 2 mouthfuls nothing more).

Your comment about alcohol treminded me again of something I was going to post as a possible thread. A lot of people (I'm not saying you are included!) think that they shouldn't put alcohol in food if they don't drink. The truth is, as I'm sure you are aware, that the cooking will burn off any alcoholic content but will leave a fantastic taste. So even if you are T-total you can use alcohol in cooking. The only common exception to this is sherry in trifle - where, of course it isn't cooked. And also Christmas cake 'fed' with alcohol after its been cooked.

In fact, what I was going to post was about how a lot of vegetarian recipes don't seem to use alcohol. Perhaps its a legacy of some puritanical vegetarianism roots? Just lately, I've been experimenting with this with great results. For example, transform a basic tomato sauce with a little red wine.. you must bring to a simmer to boil off the alcohol otherwise, of course, it tastes horrible. I did this the other day with a butter bean dish - delicious!

Sherry in mushroom soup is a classic addition. Also, frying mushrooms in oil or butter and flaming in brandy will add an amazing depth of flavour. It won't taste like brandy...

 

[djordjem87]

I make a similar Bisque with two kinds of mushrooms adding garlic as well. The process is the same and I simply love these easy and fast recipes. I am a vegetarian and I make these all the time. I like soups,Bisques and all other things we eat with a spoon. This one is particularly good if you make it with buter and if you add some cubed zucchini. Fun time You reminded me to make this beautiful meal. Tnx.

 

[SatNavSaysStraightOn]

Another version.