Mushroom & Rice Soup.
Earthy and filling, this isn’t your ordinary soup! Whilst you don’t have to use the dried mushrooms, it really is worth going the extra mile as they add a depth of flavour that it’s tricky to get from your bog standard supermarket mushrooms. The mushroom stock is essential though; We use the brand ‘Kallo’ which is available at most supermarkets now, or online at Amazon.
Ingredients.
For the soffritto
Olive oil, a generous glug
1 large onion, finely diced
2 carrots, finely diced
1 celery stick, finely diced
Salt & Pepper, to taste
A large bouquet garni: Rosemary, thyme, sage & 3 bay leaves tied together with string, alternatively you could use 1/4 tsp each of their dried equivalents
Remaining ingredients:
400g chesnut mushrooms, thickly sliced, halve the smaller ones
5 garlic cloves, minced
1/4 tsp nutmeg, ground
Small glass white wine, or a splash of vermouth (optional)
1 litre mushroom stock, 2 Kallo stock cubes
Small handful dried mushrooms, should be 5/6 if they’re still whole (optional)
3/4 cup uncooked brown rice, or any wild rice
Fresh parsley, to serve (optional)
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Equipment.
Chopping board & knife
Litre measuring jug
String to tie the bouquet garni
1 large saucepan/Dutch oven with a lid
1 large frying pan
Method.
If using, pour 250ml of hot water over the dried mushrooms and leave to soak.
Add all the ingredients for the soffritto to a large saucepan/dutch oven with plenty of olive oil and sweat down gently on a medium heat for 10-15 mins until translucent and golden. Do not let it catch and burn.
Meanwhile, add a touch of oil to a searing hot frying pan and add half the mushrooms, sauté for 3-4 minutes until they’re golden and theres no liquid in the pan. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms, and set aside. Deglaze the pan with a little stock/water when you’re finished to keep all that mushroom flavour.
Add the garlic & nutmeg to the soffritto and sauté for 1min, then add the white wine (if using). Simmer for 5 mins, or until you can no longer smell the alcohol.
Add the cooked mushrooms, rice and all the stock to the saucepan.
If using, sieve any grit from the dried mushrooms and add them to the pan, along with the soaking water. If you’re not using dried mushrooms, you may need to add a little more water to the pan during the cooking - keep an eye on it.
Bring everything to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and simmer until the rice is tender, about 30 minutes. The cooking time may vary, depending on the type of rice you use. Please make sure to check the package instructions.
Garnish your soup with fresh parsley and plenty of black pepper, and serve immediately.
