Porcini Soup - recipe from the December 11, 2002 St.
Cloud Times newspaper
2 1/2 cups dried porcini mushrooms (about 2 ounces)
3 cups boiling water
1 tbsp. butter
1 cup minced onion
1 clove garlic
1/4 cup long-grain rice
2 (14-ounce) cans chicken broth
2 tbsp. whipping cream
1 1/4 tsp. salt
6 tsp. low-fat sour cream
Cracked pepper
Snipped chives, for garnish
Place mushrooms in a bowl and pour the water over them. Let
rehydrate, 30 minutes. (Put a plate on top to keep them submerged.)
Lift the mushrooms from the bowl with a slotted spoon. Pour the
liquid into a sieve lined with cheesecloth. Reserve the liquid
and set aside. Mince 2 mushrooms and set aside for garnish. Reserve
the rest.
Heat the butter in a 4-quart sauce pan over medium-low heat and
add the onion. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about
5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook one minute. Stir in the rice.
Stir in the reserved mushroom liquid, then the chicken broth.
Add the rehydrated mushrooms. Bring to a simmer. Cover and cook
30 minutes.
Remove 1/2 cup of the mushrooms with a slotted spoon. Roughly
chop and set aside. Puree the soup in batches, then return to
the saucepan and stir in the cream. Add the salt. Stir in the
roughly chopped mushrooms. Ladle into bowls. garnish each bowl
with a tsp. of the sour cream. Sprinkle with cracked pepper, the
mushrooms for garnish and the chives.
Two Mushroom Parmesan Pasta Sauce
* You can use fresh mushrooms only if you prefer
1/2 oz. dried porcini or other dried mushrooms
1/2 cup lukewarm water
3 Tbsp. olive oil
1 1/2 lbs. fresh white button mushrooms, sliced
1 onion, chopped
1 large garlic clove, minced
2 tsp. dried basil
1 can (28 ounces) whole tomatoes, undrained and broken up
1 cup water
1/2 cup white wine or chicken broth
1 to 2 tsp. sugar to taste
1 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. black pepper
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
In small bowl combine dried mushrooms with 1/2 cup of water
and let soak about 20 minutes. In large skillet heat 2 tbsp. olive
oil over high heat. Add fresh mushrooms and cook 6-8 minutes or
until lightly browned. Set aside. In a large sauce pan, heat 1
Tbsp. oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook 3-5 minutes until
soft. Add garlic and basil and cook for 30 seconds. Stir in tomatoes
and their liquid, 1 cup water, wine, sugar, salt and pepper. Bring
to a boil.
Drain the dried mushrooms and add to the tomato mixture in the
sauce pan with the soaking liquid. Pour liquid slowly because
it may contain grit from the dried mushrooms. Reduce heat to low
and simmer sauce, uncovered, 20 minutes. Add the fresh mushrooms
and simmer 20-30 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in Parmesan
cheese. Serve with Spaghetti, fettucini, ravioli, chicken or sausage.
Morel and Porcini Quiche
4 nine inch pie shells
2-3 cups dried morels
2 sweet red peppers, roasted, peeled and chopped
2 fresh ripe mulato peppers and 2 fresh ripe ancho/poblano peppers
roasted, peeled and chopped
1 sprig marjoram
3 springs fresh thyme
3 chives
1 Chinese chive leaf (snipped)
2/3 lb. Fontina cheese, shredded
5-8 Tbsp. sherry
1 dozen extra large eggs
3 pints cream (heavy or light 1.5 pints each)
1 1/2 cup plain yogurt (can be nonfat)
1 1/2 tsp. paprika
2 1/2 tsp. nutmeg
Pour enough boiling water over dried mushrooms to cover, steep,
drain mushrooms in sieve, pressing out and reserving excess liquid.
Return liquid to pan, leaving any dirt in bowl. Reduce liquid
over medium flame(1/2-1/2 cup.) Select the best morels, about
1/2 the number of quiche slices selected. Slice lengthwise and
let soak in cream and sherry to keep moist (2-3 Tbsp. each.) Chop
rest of mushrooms fairly fine and mix well with chopped peppers
and herbs. Spread equal amounts over each pie shell. Scatter equal
amounts of shredded cheese over the mushroom mixture. Beat eggs
until frothy, the beat in yogurt, paprika, nutmeg, cream, reduce
mushroom soaking liquid, and a dollop of sherry. Carefully pour
custard mixture over cheese (or in centers of shells.)
Bake 15 minutes in 425 (preheated) degree oven. Turn oven down
to 300 and bake 300 minutes or until puffed up in center. About
halfway through baking arrange sliced morels evenly in circles.
Make sure custard is set enough to hold them.