Rustic Cream of Mushroom Soup with Pecorino Brioche Croutons
Growing up, cream of mushroom soup was king. Granted it was good old dependable Campbell’s— but I loved the silky smooth texture studded with bits of mushroom— usually eaten with Ritz crackers. I’ve amped up the flavor component using a touch of miso, which is a match made in umami heaven when paired with mushrooms. Add 1 cup of cream for a generously creamy soup, but if you’d prefer yours less so, go for a half cup. No Ritz crackers here— for croutons I love the delicate crunch of the brioche. Tearing them adds more crags and surface texture for browning. Croutons are best eaten fresh and warm out of the oven.
Serves 4
INGREDIENTS
6 tbsp unsalted butter
1 tbsp olive oil
1 leek, white and light green parts only, thinly sliced
3 celery stalks, diced
4 small shallots, thinly sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 tbsp white miso paste
4 tsp thyme leaves, chopped
5 cups mushrooms, sliced (approximately 1 lb)
½ cup white wine
5 tbsp AP flour
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
½ cup-1 cup heavy cream or evaporated milk
Kosher salt and black pepper
For the Croutons
3-4 cups brioche, torn into bite-sized pieces
2 tbsp olive oil
¼ cup grated pecorino
1 tsp kosher salt
½ tsp black pepper
METHOD
In a large pot over medium high heat, melt butter and olive oil. Add leeks, celery, shallot, garlic, thyme and sauté until softened, approximately 3-4 minutes. Add miso and continue to sauté, approximately 1-2 minutes, until miso is incorporated. Salt and pepper to taste. Add mushrooms and cook for 4-5 minutes until mushroom are softened. Add wine and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle flour and stir to incorporate for 2 minutes. Add stock and stir. Bring to a boil, then cover and simmer for 13-15 minutes. Stir in desired amount of heavy cream and simmer for 5 more minutes. Salt and pepper to taste.
For the croutons, preheat oven to 350F. Place brioche pieces on a parchment lined sheet pan, drizzle with olive oil. Add pecorino, salt and pepper and use your hands to combine all and arrange in a single layer. Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown.
Serve soup warm with a croutons, a glug of olive oil and flaky sea salt.