Ingredients

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1 yellow onion, diced
  • 3 leeks, whites parts only, sliced
  • 2 ribs celery, sliced
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 2 cloves garlic, roughly chopped
  • 6 branches fresh thyme
  • 1/2 cup white wine
  • 1 pound mushrooms, sliced; a mixture of porcini, cremini, oyster, portobello, button
  • 2 ounces dried porcini mushrooms soaked in 1 cup hot water
  • 6 cups mushroom stock, recipe follows
  • 1 pound silken tofu
  • 1 -ounce dried porcini mushrooms
  • 1 cup hot water
  • 1 1/2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 onions, diced
  • 4 ounces fresh mushrooms, sliced
  • 2 medium carrots, sliced
  • 2 celery stalks, diced
  • 2 leek tops, sliced
  • 4 to 6 thyme branches
  • 2 bay leaves
  • 6 branches parsley, roughly chopped
  • 3 sage leaves or a pinch of dried sage
  • 3 cloves garlic, chopped
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt
  • 9 cups spring water

Method

  • Heat the olive oil in the soup pot, add onion and leeks and celery, allow to caramelize over medium heat for 10 minutes.
  • Add the salt, garlic and thyme and saute 3 more minutes.
  • Add the wine, raise the heat and reduce for 3 minutes.
  • Add the mushrooms and cook them with the onion mixture over medium-low heat for 6 minutes, stirring part way through cooking.
  • Pour in the soaked mushrooms, stock and add tofu.
  • Taste and add more sea salt, if necessary.
  • Lower heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
  • Remove thyme branches.
  • Let the soup cool slightly and then puree in the blender to make a smooth creamy soup.
  • Garnish with fresh thyme or parsley, Sauteed mushrooms, and a spoonful of tofu sour cream if you are feeling decadent
  • Cover the dried mushrooms with 1 cup hot water and set aside.
  • Heat the olive oil in the soup pot and add the onions to caramelize.
  • When they have turned a deep brown add the remaining vegetables, herbs, garlic, sea salt and saute an additional 3 minutes (add a little liquid if necessary).
  • Add the dried porcini and their soaking liquid plus 9 cups cold water, and bring to a boil.
  • Simmer for 45 minutes uncovered.
  • Strain the stock through a fine mesh colander.
  • Use as is or return it to the stove to reduce and intensify the flavor.
  • A general rule of thumb: it takes about 15 minutes at a slow boil to reduce the volume of liquid by one cup.
  • Yield: 6 to 8 cups