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Ruth's Three-Mushroom Consommé

Source of Recipe


From "Essentials of Southern Cooking" by Damon Lee Fowler



List of Ingredients



• 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
  
• ½ pound cremini mushrooms
  
• ½ pound shiitake mushrooms
  
• 1 medium yellow onion, thinly sliced
  
• 3 tablespoons butter, divided
  
• 2 large cloves garlic, lightly crushed, peeled, and chopped fine
  
• 6 cups chicken consommé
  
• 1 bouquet garni, made of 2 bay leaves and 2 sprigs each parsley and thyme
  
• 1 cup Madeira or dry red wine
  
• 1 bunch green onions
  






Instructions



1. Put the dried mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and pour 1 cup boiling water over them. Soak for 30 minutes, then lift out the mushrooms, dipping them to loosen any dirt clinging to them, and set aside. Strain the soaking liquid through a coffee filter or undyed paper towel and set it aside. Wipe the fresh mushrooms with a clean, dry cloth. Trim off the excess stem from the creminis, and remove the shiitake stems altogether. Set the stem trimmings aside and thinly slice the mushrooms.
   
   
2. Put the sliced yellow onion, mushroom stems, and 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan over medium heat. Sauté, stirring often, until the onion is wilted and translucent. Add the garlic and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute more. Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the reserved mushroom soaking liquid, broth, and bouquet garni. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to low, and simmer 30 minutes. Turn off the heat.
   
   
3. Strain the broth through a sieve into a large bowl, pressing on the solids to extract all their juice. Wipe out the pot. Add the remaining butter and turn on the heat to medium-high. When it is melted and frothy, add the fresh mushrooms and reconstituted porcini. Sauté until the fresh mushrooms are beginning to color, about 4 minutes. Pour the strained broth over them and bring it to a boil. Add the wine and bring it back to a simmer. Cook until the mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Turn off the heat. (The soup may be made ahead up to this point. Cool, then cover and refrigerate. The next day, skim off the fat and reheat the soup over medium heat.)
   
   Thinly slice the green tops of the green onions. Ladle the soup into individual soup plates or bowls, sprinkle with the green onions, and serve at once.
   
   Serves 8