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Susan Jung

I love mushrooms but I know many people who can't stand them, primarily because of their slippery texture. These people are missing out, though, because mushrooms are versatile, adding their own taste to a dish and absorbing the flavour of whatever ingredients they're cooked with.
Mushroom soup with truffle oil and mushroom toast (pictured)
White truffle oil is best used in very small quantities, so put just a few drops over each portion of soup.
For the soup:
About 45 grams unsalted butter
80 grams shallots, finely minced
2-3 large garlic cloves, finely minced
60ml sherry
30 grams assorted dried mushrooms (such as chanterelle, porcini and morel)
300 grams assorted fresh mushrooms
About 1.5 litres home-made unsalted chicken stock
About 200ml cream
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
White truffle oil and extra-virgin olive oil, to serve
For the mushroom toast:
Olive oil, as needed
1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
300 grams assorted mushrooms
8 slices sourdough bread (or eight half-slices, if the pieces are very large)
Chopped parsley
Briefly rinse the dried mushrooms under running water then put them in a bowl and add 300ml of warm water. Soak the mushrooms until they're pliable then strain them through a fine sieve set over a bowl. Reserve the soaking liquid and chop the mushrooms. Rinse the fresh mushrooms briefly and pat them dry with paper towels then cut them so they're all about the same size.
Heat the butter in a soup pan set over a low-medium flame and, when it's almost melted, add the shallot and cook until soft. Add the garlic and stir for a minute. Turn the heat to high, add the fresh mushroom and saute until they're slightly browned. Stir in the sherry and simmer for a few minutes. Add one litre of chicken stock, the soaking liquid and the dried mushroom. Season with salt and pepper then bring to a boil, lower the heat and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the ingredients are tender. Use a food processor or blender to puree the soup then pour it back into the pan. Stir in the cream and check the flavour and consistency; if needed, add more chicken stock and salt and pepper. Bring to a simmer and keep it hot.
Preheat the oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Brush both sides of the sourdough bread with olive oil then toast in the oven until lightly browned. Rinse the toast-bound mushrooms, pat them dry with paper towels, then cut them into even slices. Heat about 20ml of olive oil over a high flame in a large skillet and when it's very hot, add half the mushroom and half the garlic (don't overcrowd the pan or the mushroom won't brown and will give off too much liquid). Season with salt and pepper and saute quickly over a high flame until lightly browned. Transfer to a bowl and cook the remaining mushroom and garlic the same way. Stir the parsley into the mushroom then spoon over the toast. Ladle the soup into bowls and add two or three drops of truffle oil to each portion. Drizzle some extra-virgin olive oil into each bowl then serve the soup with the mushroom toast. Serves at least eight.
Mushroom and pea risotto
250 grams mixed fresh mushrooms
30 grams dried mushrooms (such as chanterelle, porcini or morel)
60 grams unsalted butter, divided
1 large garlic clove, minced
1/2 a small onion, diced
75ml dry white wine
300 grams arborio or carnaroli rice
About 750ml unsalted chicken or vegetable stock, preferably home-made (if using canned broth, use half broth and half water)
200 grams frozen petits pois, thawed
60 grams freshly grated parmesan
Fine sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Briefly rinse the dried mushrooms under running water then put them in a bowl and add 250ml of warm water. Soak them until soft then strain through a fine sieve set over a small saucepan. Reserve the soaking liquid and slice the mushrooms. Briefly rinse the fresh mushrooms, dry them with paper towels, then thinly slice them.
Melt half the butter in a large skillet. Add the garlic and fresh mushroom, season lightly with salt and pepper and saut?over a high flame until the mushroom start giving off liquid. Strain through a sieve set over the saucepan with the soaking liquid.
Pour the chicken or vegetable stock into a saucepan and bring to the boil. Add the petits pois, blanch for one minute, then use a small sieve to scoop them from the liquid and set them aside. Keep the liquid at a bare simmer. Heat the mushroom liquid to a simmer.
Melt the remaining butter in a pan, add the onion and cook over a low flame until soft. Add the unwashed rice and stir over a medium flame for about a minute. Turn the heat to medium high, add the dried mushroom and wine and stir until the liquid is absorbed. Add half the mushroom liquid, stir until absorbed, then add the rest. Stirring constantly, start adding the chicken or vegetable stock about 125ml at a time, letting it absorb almost fully before adding more. You might not need all the stock - taste the rice occasionally and stop adding the liquid when it's of your required consistency. Stir in the fresh mushroom and simmer for a minute. Adjust the seasonings then stir in the petits pois and the parmesan. Serve immediately.
Styling: Corner Kitchen Cooking School
 


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Susan Jung's recipes

Mushroom recipes: mushroom soup with white truffle oil, and mushroom and pea risotto

Mushroom soup with white truffle oil and mushroom toast. Photo: K.Y. Cheng

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