Creamy wild mushroom soup is the perfect warm cozy food to enjoy from the comforts of a hobbit hole!
Winter in MIddle Earth
With the cold days and long nights of winter coming upon us, let us imagine the hearty and rustic fare that would warm tables across JRR Tolkien’s Middle Earth. As the nights lengthen and the days grow dark, we can wonder at what foods would be served in the great halls of the Dwarven kings or at the lavish feast tables of the Elven kingdoms. What delicacies would be served by the hobbits, snug in their cozy hobbit holes as the winds of winter howl across the land? Let us explore together some of the culinary delights from different lands for a Winter Feast in Middle Earth.
The Shire
With winter closing in, imagine a creamy wild mushroom soup simmering over the hearth in a cozy hobbit hole. Made with foraged mushrooms gathered from the damp fields and woods of the Shire, this hearty soup is infused with fresh herbs and a splash of sherry. Serve with a slice of warm bread beside a roaring fireplace to keep the chills of winter away.
Ingredients
Mushrooms: I use cremini, or brown, mushrooms in this soup. They have more flavour than regular button mushrooms. You could also use a combination of different mushrooms if you prefer.
Dried wild mushrooms: I like adding some dried wild mushrooms to this soup. After steeping in hot water, the reserved liquid adds even more mushroom flavour to the soup. I used a packet of mixed wild mushrooms, but you could use any kind of dried mushroom, such as porcini, instead.
Broth: To keep this soup vegetarian, I used a vegetable broth. If that’s not a concern, then chicken broth would make an acceptable substitute.
Sherry: Sherry is a kind of fortified wine that pairs well with mushrooms. To make this recipe non-alcoholic, simply omit the sherry and use some of the wild mushroom soaking liquid to deglaze the mushrooms.
How to Make Wild Mushroom Soup
Prep the ingredients
Thinly slice the cremini mushrooms. Dice the onion and mince the garlic and set aside. In a small bowl, pour 1 cup boiling water over the dried mushrooms. Let steep for about 30 minutes. Drain and reserve the liquid. Roughly chop the wild mushrooms and set aside.
Sauté the mushrooms
In a large Dutch oven or pot, heat 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and butter over medium high heat. Add 1/3 of the sliced cremini mushrooms and sprinkle with a little kosher salt. Sauté until the mushrooms are tender and beginning to brown. Remove from the pot and set aside to use as a garnish later.
Lower the heat to medium and add the remaining olive oil and butter to the pot along with the diced onion. Cook the onions for about 3-5 minutes until they are softened and beginning to brown. Add the remaining cremini mushrooms and season with a generous pinch of kosher salt. Sauté until the mushrooms begin to brown and any liquid that has accumulated cooks off.
Make the soup
When the mushrooms are browned, add the minced garlic and chopped thyme. Sauté for another minute until fragrant. Add the sherry to deglaze the pan. Allow the sherry to simmer and reduce by half. Stir in the flour.
Add the broth to the pot in 2 or 3 batches, stirring to prevent lumps. Lastly, add the reconstituted wild mushrooms along with the reserved soaking liquid. Add 1 tsp kosher salt and the pepper and then bring the soup up to a simmer. Simmer over medium low heat for about 10 to 15 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the soup has thickened slightly.
Serve the Wild Mushroom Soup
Carefully transfer the hot soup to a high-speed blender. Blend on high until smooth. You may need to do this in two batches, depending on the size of your blender. Return the soup to the pot. Stir in the heavy cream and Worcestershire sauce. Check the consistency of the soup, adding a bit more broth if it is too thick. Reheat the soup until hot.
Serve the soup topped with the reserved sautéed mushrooms and enjoy!
