Today's RGB Photo: Arugula blossoms from the garden. Will be coming up with recipe for using up leaves later in the week.
To quote Nabokov, “my little cup brims with tiddles,” because I’ve been kissed by chanterelles so sweet, so silky and so sultry that I’ve completely lost my mind.
Let me backtrack.
I recently happened across some fresh chanterelles, and because they are like gold (they’re pricey, elegant and they sparkle), I wanted to make use of all 198 grams I had in my possession. After a plea on Twitter for suggestions, @Hank_Shaw kindly offered his “sexiest soup ever.”
In a little more detail, here’s what Hank had to say about his soup:
“Holy sweet Jesus on the cross was this good! The flavor hammers you with chanterelle’s beguiling flavor, backed with a whiff of saffron, the creamy mouthfeel of a classic veloute (stock whisked with a blond roux), and a slightly slutty wink from the dash of Armagnac I put in, all given added heft from a liaison of cream and egg yolks. Folks, this is what you want to eat right before a romp with Bella– fleas be damned.”
I was intrigued. So over the weekend, I made a batch of my garden chicken stock (omitting herbs) specifically to use as a base for the soup.
With the 198 grams of chanterelles, it was just enough to make a half-recipe for Monday’s lunch. Unfortunately, we used the last of our Cognac with our post-Thanksgiving French Onion Soup (made with turkey stock), so I subbed in a Sancerre… a bit to cook with, the rest to drink.
My own thoughts?
Wow. Soup this good ought to be illegal; a single bite, I quiver. The second bite, I shake, And the final bite, I’m breathless. My darling Lola… I love you so.
Have I mentioned I’ve completely lost my mind?
[K]
Soup… or sex?
Hank's Cream of Chanterelle Soup
Hank’s Cream of Chanterelle Soup
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~ Serves 2-3 ~
~
~ Ingredients ~
- 3 cups garden chicken stock
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 6-8 ounces fresh chanterelle mushrooms
- 1 shallot
- 2 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 ½ 1 egg yolk
- ¼ cup heavy cream
- ½ shot brandy (Armagnac) ¼ cup dry white wine
- 1/8 teaspoon saffron threads
- Salt to taste
- Handful Italian parsley
~
~ Preparation ~
Preparation Time: 1 hour
- In a 2-quart saucepan, make the veloute. Heat the stock to a bare simmer. In another pot, heat the butter until frothing and stir in the flour. Stirring all the while, let this cook for a few minutes over medium heat. Do not let it brown. Note: If there is too much surface area on the bottom of the pan and it’s difficult to stir the roux, ladle in the stock 2 tablespoons at a time (just enough to cook the mixture without drying it on the bottom of the saucepan).
- Whisk the hot stock into the roux and let this simmer for 20 minutes, stirring often. You want it to slowly cook down by at least 1/3 and be silky looking.
- While the veloute is simmering, make the mushroom base. Reserve one or two small mushrooms for using as a garnish. Mince the remaining mushrooms and shallots fine and sweat them in a sauté pan over medium heat with a touch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until the shallots are translucent and the mushrooms give up their water.
- Crumble the saffron into the dry white wine and add it to the mushroom base. Turn the heat up to high and toss to stir to combine. Cook until the wine is nearly gone.
- Buzz the mushroom base into a puree in a food processor.
- When the veloute is ready, add the mushroom puree and stir or whisk well to combine. Cook this at a bare simmer for 10 minutes.
- Slice a few chanterelles lengthwise and sear them in a dry pan until they give up their water and brown.
- Beat together the egg yolks and cream, then ladle – a little at a time – some soup base into the egg-cream mixture. This is called a liaison, and you are tempering the eggs with the hot stock slowly, so they do not congeal. Once you have the 2-3 small ladles soup into the egg-cream mixture, pour it all back into the soup and simmer. DO NOT BOIL.
- To finish the soup, turn off the heat and whisk in the remaining butter.
- Chop a small handful of Italian parsley leaves.
- Serve with seared mushrooms in the center and a sprinkle of chopped Italian parsley leaves, with crusty bread and white wine. I prefer a Sancerre. Enjoy decadence.
Nutrition content per serving: 272 calories, 10.5g carbs, 5.5g protein, 22g fat, 1.5g fiber
Cost per serving: $6.31- $7.24
Source: Hunter Angler Gardener Cook. Contextually modified as noted by Rustic Garden Bistro.
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Hank's Cream of Chanterelle Soup
Wow! I’ll have what she’s having
I saw your tweet after mine about riffing on @Hank_Shaw ‘s chanterelle dressing for Thanksgiving! (I didn’t post it since Thanksgiving was past) Now, I’ll have to buy some more of that fungii gold!
Oh my… I’m with Priscilla… I’ll have what you are all having!! This looks incredibly luscious and I can just imagine the taste… swoon!!!
I’ll have what you’re having, lawd have mercy! And for the record . . . sex . . . ;o)
That. Looks. Amazing. And a little complicated (but totally worth the effort). So many delicious ingredients in one bowl–no wonder you’ve lost your mind!
I second Debra’s comment. OMG! This looks totally decadent…I need to run to Whole Foods and get 198 grams of chanterelles so I can have a great weekend!
It looks just as sexy and delicious as you describe it. Wonderful! I love chanterelles, but I agree they are expensive. I think they’re more abundant up here, however. Helps to have tons of rain and dampness for good mushroom hunting! xoxo
butter,cream, and mushrooms… hello lover!
getting together an oc blogger group soon, i’ll keep you posted
happy holidays,
louise
The soup looks good, but I have to say it’s your writing and photography that is beautiful! Write on! ~Renee
To quote a famous someone (ok I’m famous in my own head)
Because food is a lot like sex. When it’s bad you want to vomit & when it’s good you can’t get enough.
What a post! But who can blame you? I can only sit here and chew my nails with envy.
I used to go pick chanterelles as a child while spending summers with cousins in the country. They would dry them and take them to town where the Italians came with trucks once a week to collect them. I wish I can do that again now that I appreciate their unique taste.
And the answer is sex, of course:)