Porcini Chestnut Soup with White Truffle Oil
This is a sumptuous, umami laden soup perfect in the fall with fresh Chestnuts, or with vacuum packed ones through the winter. The recipe is also designed for the Thermomix machine.
Servings: 6 -8
Ingredients
- 10 g dried Porcini (or local dried Alberta Mushrooms from Mo-Na's Foods)
- 1/2 cup boiling water for hydrating dried Porcini
- 30 g extra virgin olive oil (my favourite local oil remains the President's Choice Brand from Superstore)
- 1 onion , chopped roughly
- 2 plump garlic cloves
- 500 g whole Cremini mushrooms , chopped
- 200 g vacuum packed chestnuts , chopped (available locally at The Italian Centre)
- 700 g cooking liquid (homemade chicken stock plus Porcini rehydrating liquid)
- 100 g heavy cream
- salt and pepper to taste
- white truffle oil for garnish (available locally at The Italian Centre)
Instructions
Instructions with the Thermomix:
- Scale 10g of Porcini mushrooms, soak them in 1/2 cup of boiling water for 10 minutes, and retain liquid
- Scale in the olive oil and add the onion and garlic; chop for 5 seconds at speed 7
- Clean sides of bowl with the spatula; sauté for 2 minutes at 100°C on speed 5
- Scale in chopped Cremini and sauté for 2 minutes at 100°C on R-4
- Scale in chestnuts, reconstituted minced Porcini, strained Porcini water and chicken stock to total 700g liquid; cook for 10 minutes on Varoma at speed R-4
- Purée for one minute slowly from 1-10, until smooth
- Add cream, adjust seasoning and serve with a drizzle of truffle oil (2-3 drops per boil, as it is very strong)
Instructions without the Thermomix:
- Weigh 10g of Porcini mushrooms, soak them in 1/2 cup of boiling water for 10 minutes, and retain liquid
- Measure 2 tablespoons of olive oil into a stock pan and heat; add the chopped onion and garlic
- Sauté for 2 minutes, stirring constantly; add the chopped Cremini and sauté for 2 minutes more minutes on high heat
- Add chopped chestnuts, reconstituted minced Porcini, strained Porcini water and enough chicken stock to total 700g liquid; bring to a low boil and cook for 10 minutes
- Test for doneness, then carefully move mixture to a blender: secure lid with a cloth over the top to avoid heat explosions or burns
- Purée for one minute slowly, or until velvety smooth
- Add cream, adjust seasoning and serve with a drizzle of truffle oil (2-3 drops per boil, as it is very strong)
Notes
Truffle Oils are always essences: the oil is flavoured artificially. Small Italian Artisan producers do infuse their own oil, but it is not available for export and tastes very different than the ones we pay so dearly for in Italy and at home.