forester’s roasted mushroom soup

This beautiful soup is deceptive—thick and creamy, it contains neither cream nor flour. A purée of white beans adds more than body; it also adds extra nutrition for your body! A mushroom mélange adds to the complexity of the flavor—the more kinds, the better—and roasting them brings out all of their woodsy wonder. I could eat this soup any time, but right now I’m making it to serve as part of my menu for Parasha Lech Lecha

Ingredients:

• 3 lbs fresh mushrooms—use a combination of whatever types are available and affordable

• ½ lb shiitake mushrooms—stems removed and reserved

• extra virgin olive oil, or cold-pressed nut oil, as needed

• 1 ounce dried mushrooms—porcini, chanterelles, morels, or a combination

• 15 ounce can of cannelloni beans

• 2 large white onions, chopped

• 3—4 cloves garlic, chopped

• ½ cup white wine

• 4—5 cups stock (chicken, no-chicken, or vegetable)

• a few sprigs of fresh thyme

• 1 carrot, finely chopped

• 2 tablespoons sherry

• kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper as needed

• snipped chives for garnish

• Optional: ½ —1 cup half and half, heavy cream, or nut milk of your choice.

• Optional: a bit of truffle oil to drizzle over each bowl

Method:

Preheat the oven to 450°.

Clean shiitake stems, tie them in a little cheesecloth sack, and set it aside. Thinly slice the shiitake caps and sauté them in a bit of olive oil, with a pinch of salt, until they’re golden brown and set them aside.

Put the dried mushrooms into a small bowl and add just enough boiling water to submerge them. Leave them to soak for at least 30 minutes, then drain them, straining and reserving their soaking liquid.

Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Halve or quarter the 3 lbs of mushrooms, depending upon their size. Dress them in just enough oil to lightly coat them, sprinkle them lightly with salt, and slide the pan into the preheated oven. Roast the mushrooms until they’ve given off their liquid and are browning.

In a four quart pot, sauté the chopped onion in a small glug of olive oil until translucent, then add the garlic and the carrot and sauté for another minute.

Add the dried mushrooms that you’ve soaked and drained, plus the roasted mushrooms and any juices that have accumulated in the pan, into the pot. Pour in the white wine and bring it to a boil. Continue to boil until the wine is reduced by half. Note: If you’ve used dried morels, hold some back for garnish, say 3 per bowl.

Pour in the stock, the sherry, and the reserved soaking liquid. Add the beans, the little sack of shiitake stems, and the thyme sprigs.

Bring the pot to a gentle simmer and cook for about 30 minutes, or until everything is very soft. Remove the thyme sprigs and the shiitake stems.

Purée the soup using an immersion blender, or transfer to a food processor in batches, then return it to the pot.

Stir in the cream or the nut milk if using and keep the soup warm until ready to serve. Once you’ve added cream, don’t let the soup boil. Taste for salt and adjust as needed.

To serve, ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with the shiitake slices, chopped chives, and a swirl of truffle oil, if you like.