Escoffier's Chanterelle Soup
User Reviews
4.8
-
Prep Time
20 mins
-
Cook Time
45 mins
-
Total Time
1 hr 5 mins
-
Servings
6 people
-
Calories
333 kcal
-
Course
Main Course, Soup
-
Cuisine
French
Escoffier's Chanterelle Soup
Description
The soup begins by preparing a velouté, a traditional French sauce, by cooking butter with flour to form a roux, then whisking in hot chicken stock and gently simmering for about 20 minutes to thicken. Meanwhile, finely minced chanterelle mushrooms and shallots are sweated with salt until the moisture is released and the shallots soften.
Saffron threads are crumbled into brandy and added to the mushroom mixture, which is cooked until most of the alcohol evaporates. The mixture is then pureed, optionally strained for a fine texture, and incorporated into the velouté. Lastly, egg yolks and cream are added to enrich and give the soup a smooth, silky consistency with depth from the saffron and brandy.
This soup showcases the earthy flavor and delicate texture of chanterelle mushrooms complemented by luxurious French techniques. It can be served as an elegant starter or light main course, highlighting a balance of creamy, aromatic, and subtle mushroom flavors.
Ingredients
VELOUTE
- 6 cups chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 2 tablespoons flour
SOUP
- 1 pound mushroom ideally chanterelles, fresh
- 2 shallot minced
- 4 tablespoons butter unsalted
- 3 egg yolk
- 1/2 cup cream
- 1 hot glass brandy
- 1/4 teaspoon saffron
- salt to taste
Instructions
- 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. 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 about 1/4 and be silky looking.
- While the veloute is simmering, make the mushroom base. Mince the mushrooms and shallots fine and sweat them in a saute 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 brandy and add it to the mushroom base. Turn the heat up to high and toss or stir to combine. Cook until the brandy is nearly gone. Buzz the mushroom base into a puree in a food processor. OPTIONAL: If you want a truly refined French soup, push this puree through a fine-mesh strainer.
- When the veloute is ready, add the mushroom puree and stir well to combine. Cook this at a bare simmer for 10 minutes. OPTIONAL: If you want a mushroom garnish, slice a few chanterelles lengthwise and sear them in an 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 3 or 4 ladles of soup into egg-cream mixture, pour it all back into the soup and simmer. Do not boil or it will break. OPTIONAL: Put this soup through the fine-mesh strainer again to remove any lumps and return to low heat.
- To finish the soup, turn off the heat and whisk in the remaining butter. Serve with the seared mushrooms in the center, with crusty bread and white wine. Enjoy decadence.
Notes
- If chanterelle mushrooms are unavailable, porcini, morels, cremini, or button mushrooms can substitute in descending order of preference.
- Rationale: Different mushrooms will alter the flavor profile, so tasting and adjusting seasoning is recommended.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 6people
Amount Per Serving
Calories 333 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 333kcal | 17% |
| Carbohydrates | 15g | 5% |
| Protein | 11g | 22% |
| Fat | 24g | 37% |
| Saturated Fat | 13g | 65% |
| Cholesterol | 162mg | 54% |
| Sodium | 362mg | 15% |
| Potassium | 545mg | 12% |
| Fiber | 1g | 4% |
| Sugar | 6g | 12% |
| Vitamin A | 770IU | 15% |
| Vitamin C | 2.7mg | 3% |
| Calcium | 39mg | 4% |
| Iron | 1.4mg | 8% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
4.8
You'll Also Love
