Creamy Brie + Roasted Wild Mushroom Soup {vegetarian}

When I picked out this recipe to highlight the wild Chanterelle mushrooms we picked recently, I couldn’t believe I didn’t have a cream of mushroom soup on my blog. Cream of mushroom is so basic. A staple. A classic. What’s wrong with me?

At first glance this soup may look like your basic cream of mushroom soup. But it’s not. It’s chock full of roasted wild mushrooms, shallots and garlic gently cooked in chicken stock and pureed until silky smooth. Then it’s finished off with plenty of brie cheese and some cream. It’s served dotted with fresh wild mushrooms that have been sauteed with butter and sprinkled with fresh thyme. The smoked paprika gives the soup a hint of smoky flavor which compliments the wild mushrooms.

The interesting thing about this soup, IMO, is the Brie. I had a really young Brie and felt like you could barely taste it in the soup. An older Brie or full flavor Brie would lend a completely different flavor to the soup. I almost wish I had let my Brie age a bit before using it in this soup.

Despite this, Sis dubbed this soup the best cream of mushroom soup she’s ever had. Have a cup as an appetizer or make it a meal by eating it with a salad and some freshly baked crusty bread. If you don’t forage for your own mushrooms like we do, your local Costco may sell them for a significantly lower price than any other grocery stores do. In the Pacific Northwest, you can find them for about $12 for a large bag.

This recipe is gently adapted from a recipe found at The View from Great Island.

ingredients.

• 2 lbs Chanterelle mushrooms (or any other wild mushroom), cleaned and sliced or quartered
• 4 T. butter
• 2 large shallots peeled and finely diced
• 1 large elephant garlic clove, finely chopped
• 4 T. flour
• ¾ c. Marsala wine (dry)
• 4 c. chicken stock or veggie stock
• 2 T. fresh thyme leaves
• salt and freshly cracked black pepper to taste
• pinch of smoked paprika
• 1 c. heavy cream or half and half
• 15 oz Brie cheese rind removed, cut in chunks

directions.

1. Set oven to 400F
2. Put sliced or quartered mushrooms on a sheet pan and bake for 20 to 25 minutes, tossing them a couple of times. They will lose their moisture, shrink, and turn brown. You may see a small amount of water on the bottom of your sheet pan.
3. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a large skillet over medium-low heat and saute the shallots for 5 minutes, then add the garlic and saute another 5 minutes. The shallots should be softened by now.
4. Stir in the flour and cook for a minute allowing the mixture to bubble up, stirring all the while. Add the wine and stir to deglaze the pan.
5. Add the stock, the mushrooms, and the fresh thyme, and bring up to a simmer. Turn down the heat, cover and gently simmer for about 15 minutes. Season to taste with salt and fresh cracked black pepper. Puree the soup, in batches. If you’d like to reserve some mushroom pieces for your finished product go ahead and do so.
6. Add the cubed Brie. Stir to melt the cheese. Add the cream and stir to incorporate.
7. Add smoked paprika. Taste to see if the seasonings need to be adjusted. Add more paprika, salt or pepper. Add more heavy cream if necessary. Add more water or chicken stock if the soup is too thick for your liking.
8. Serve with a garnish of cooked sliced mushrooms and more fresh thyme. If you didn’t save mushrooms before blending the soup, you can also cook up some more mushrooms (if you have extra) with some butter.

Recipe rating: 