Zuppa di Porcini | Porcini Mushroom Soup

One year my husband, Stephen, and I rented a villa in the hills of Tuscany. It was magical. A small garden yielded tomatoes, eggplant, garlic, onions, and lots of herbs, along with a chicken coop. Every morning I would find a package of goodies from the land left by the lovely gentleman who looked after the property. One rainy morning I found the usual fresh eggs and vegetables from the garden, and a surprise package wrapped up in newspaper like a beautiful present. The newspaper package was full of wild porcini mushrooms, so I made this comforting mushroom soup.

At home in California, I buy dried porcini and reconstitute them in hot water. The soaking water adds so much flavor to the soup, so be sure not to throw it away. Pair with a crisp white wine from Marche, Centanni Falerio.

To make this vegan-friendly, substitute the cream with a non-dairy alternative. I use Oatly or unsweetened coconut cream.

Receipt Date: August 4, 2020

Difficulty: Easy

Measurements: Imperial (US)

See ingredients, directions and pairings.

Ingredients

2 ounces Dried Porcini Mushrooms, soaked in 2 cups of hot water covered for 30 minutes, or as instructed on package

1/2 pound Cremini or Bella Mushrooms, cleaned and chopped roughly

1/2 pound Shiitake Mushrooms, wiped clean of any debris, if needed, and chopped roughly

1/4 cup EVOO

1/2 cup White Wine

1 Large Shallot, chopped roughly

6 cups Broth of your choice

3 tablespoons of Cream, or Non-Dairy Cream Alternative

1 Sprig of Thyme

Pinch of Sea Salt

Fresh Cracked Pepper

1 Recipe Homemade Croutons

Directions

Heat the EVOO in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the shallots, reduce to medium heat, and cook until soft. In the meantime, remove the porcini mushrooms from the water and chop them coarsely. Strain the porcini water to remove any debris. Add half the wine to the shallots and stir. Stir in all the mushrooms and the reserved porcini water. When the liquid has evaporated, add the rest of the white wine. Once the wine has reduced by half, stir in the broth. Simmer on low heat, stirring often, for about 15 minutes. Add the cream and blend the soup using an immersion hand blender, or transfer to a blender and pulse until almost pureed, I like a little texture in this soup. If you prefer, you can puree all the way. Serve immediately topped with Homemade Croutons.