Recipe: Portage Velouté Aux Champignons (Cream of Mushroom Soup)

Adapted by Chateau Lesieutre from Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Julia Child

It’s peak morel season in the Dundee Hills, and there’s no better way to feature this celebrated ingredient than Julia Child’s famous cream of mushroom soup. Serve with crusty bread and a glass of Pinot Noir.

INGREDIENTS

1 medium white or yellow onion, minced
2 cloves of minced garlic
8 tablespoons of butter
3 tablespoons flour
3 cups broth
3 cups Pinot Noir
1 pound of fresh mushrooms (a mix of cremini and wild mushrooms)
5 tablespoons of butter
2 parsley sprigs,
1 bay leaf
1/8 teaspoon thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon lemon juice
2 egg yolks
1 cup heavy whipping cream
Salt and pepper to taste

INSTRUCTIONS

In a cast iron pot or large stock pot, melt 3 tablespoons of butter, then add minced onion and sauté until tender, but not browned. Remove from heat and stir in 3 tablespoons of flour, continuously stirring without browning the flour.
Add 3 cups of broth and 3 cups of pinot noir, fresh or dried parsley sprigs, a bay leaf, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Return the pot to heat and bring to a boil. Once boiled, reduce the heat and simmer for 20 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a separate pan, add 2 tablespoons of butter and heat until bubbly, being careful not to brown the butter. Once the butter is bubbly, add 1 pound of mushrooms with 1 teaspoon of lemon juice. Cook on low-medium heat for 5 minutes, covered.
After the liquid mixture has simmered for 20 minutes, add the sautéed mushrooms with the butter and lemon juice from the pan. Cook on simmer for ten minutes.

In a separate mixing bowl, beat the egg yolks and cream. Then beat in the hot soup by spoonfuls until a cup has been added. Gradually stir in the rest over moderate heat to cook the yolks, but do not let the soup come near a simmer.
Remove from the heat and stir in 1-3 tablespoons of softened butter. Decorate with additional mushrooms and herbs, then serve.

PAIRINGS

The balanced acidity of a Dundee Hills Pinot Noir is a lovely complement to this mushroom soup’s earthy, savory flavors. Chateau Lesieutre recommends:

Dobbes Family Winery, DUX Vineyard Pinot Noir
Domaine Roy & fils, Dundee Hills Incline Pinot Noir