Guest Post: Lemon & Mushroom Soup

We have a guest in the kitchen! We’re thrilled to have Charmian of The Messy Baker joining us again, sharing a positively delightful spring soup recipe!

I wanted a dish to usher in spring. Mushrooms, while always delicious, aren’t necessarily photogenic. To maintain this soup’s daffodil yellow colour while highlighting mushrooms, I employed a couple of culinary tricks.

First, I sweated the onions, carrots, and celery instead of caramelizing them. And as for the mushrooms? I cooked them separately from the base, adding them to the individual bowls at the very end. While this preserves the soup’s colour, it means you’ll have to employ the honour system to ensure equitable mushroom distribution.

I know that we are all making the most of the pantry, so don’t feel locked into this recipe. You can improvise. I slurped this with bread, but if you prefer, add some cooked rice to each bowl for an alternative starch. If you’ve got leftover chicken in the refrigerator, shred it and toss it in along with the mushrooms to make a meal. No chèvre? Use feta or cream cheese, or cream. Just add the mushrooms at the end and you, like the soup, will be golden.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter, divided
• 1 pound white or cremini mushrooms, halved and sliced thinly
• fine sea salt
• 1 large onion, chopped small
• 1 carrot, peeled and chopped small
• 1 stalk celery, chopped small
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 6 cups low-sodium chicken stock, divided
• 6 ounces chèvre cheese, divided
• Finely grated zest of 1 lemon (about 1 tablespoon)
• Juice of 1 fresh lemon (about 1/4 cup)
• 1/4 cup finely minced fresh basil
• Fresh ground black pepper

Method

1. In a large skillet, melt 1 tablespoon butter over medium heat. Add the sliced mushrooms with a generous pinch of salt to draw out the juices. Cook until mushrooms are tender and the liquid from the mushrooms has evaporated. Set aside.
2. In a large saucepan, melt the remaining butter over medium heat. Add the onion, carrot, and celery, along with a generous pinch of salt. Cook without adding colour, until the vegetables are soft, lowering the heat as needed. Add the garlic and cook 1 minute to soften.
3. Add the stock to the onion mixture and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and crumble in 4 ounces of the cheese. Add the zest and lemon juice. Simmer a minute or two to warm the cheese through.
4. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender on high until smooth. Strain through a fine mesh sieve for a velvety texture. Salt to taste.
5. Ladle the soup into bowls, add 1/4 of the mushrooms to each bowl. Crumble remaining cheese over each bowl of soup, along with the basil. Top with a grinding of black pepper. 

Serve and enjoy hot!

Follow along with Charmian at The Messy Baker and on Twitter, Instagram and Pinterest!