Potato Mushroom Soup

A hearty, flavorful fall or winter soup for a light meal or rich first course
Servings 8 first course servings, 4 main course servings
Prep Time PT15M
Cook Time PT30M

Ingredients

2 Large shallots
2 pound Potatoes, peeled and cut into 2 " pieces
1 tablespoon Butter
cups5 Chicken stock (vegetables stock can be substituted)
2 teaspoons Caraway seeds
2 tablespoons white wine vinegar
2 teaspoons Dried marjoram
8 ounces mushrooms
To taste Salt and freshly ground pepper

Charlie Burke (First published in The Heart of New England) - 2017-01-25

This soup is easy to prepare and would be a healthy start to a holiday dinner or to any fall or winter meal. It can be made a day or two ahead and simply reheated just before serving. The addition of caraway seeds adds a mildly exotic taste, while the mix of mushrooms varies the soup’s texture.

The New Hampshire Mushroom Company grows several varieties of beautiful mushrooms which are available at farmers markets and stores throughout New England. They will make a difference in this recipe.

Melt butter in a heavy bottomed pan over medium heat. When butter foams,
add shallots and sauté until soft. Add chicken stock, potatoes, caraway seeds
and marjoram. Bring soup to a boil, lower the heat to simmer and cook until
potatoes are soft, 20 – 25minutes.

While soup is cooking, film a nonstick sauté pan with olive oil or vegetable
spray and heat pan over medium – high heat. Sauté the sliced mushrooms until
their liquid is evaporated and they are well browned. Set mushrooms aside.

Puree the soup in batches in a blender or use an immersion blender. Reheat in
pan, if necessary, add vinegar and salt and pepper to taste. Ladle into serving
bowls and top with the mushroom slices.

This simple soup is an example how a few harmonious ingredients combine to
make a dish where the whole seems greater than the sum of the parts, as in Julia
Child’s famous leek and potato soup. It is likely to become a favorite recipe: inexpensive, uncomplicated and full of flavor.