Golden Cream of Wild Morel, Mushroom, and White Truffle Soup

Wild Morels.

This is about exotic as it gets around here!  My brother Gary brought me wild morel mushrooms they had found and frozen.   Gary's wife Darla is known to us as "the mushroom whisperer"!

White Truffle Powder Is Imported from Italy.

Today I started thinking of what to fix for dinner and it came to me to use these precious mushrooms along with a bit of white truffle powder I have been hoarding and concoct a Golden Cream of Morel, Mushroom, and Truffle Soup.  My husband loves mushroom soup and this should be just perfection.  This would be delicious even without the truffle but since I have it what the hay!

Ingredients for Golden Cream of Wild Morel, Mushroom, and White Truffle Soup:

1 1/2-2 pounds mushrooms,  (My mix is 8 oz. morel, 8 oz. shitake, 16 oz. crimini)
2 T. olive oil
1 T. butter + 8 T. butter
2 C. diced onion
1 C. diced carrot
6 C. chicken stock
3 T. flour
1 T. white truffle powder, optional
1/2 C. sherry
1/2 C. water
10 1/2 oz. can undiluted double strength chicken broth
3 T. cornstarch
1 C. heavy cream
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

Clean the mushrooms with a soft brush and remove the stems.  Set aside the mushrooms from the stems after slicing them into bite size portions.  Chop the stems and set them aside separately.

Simmering Mushroom Stock.

Make the mushroom stock by placing a large saucepan over the flame and add 2 T. olive oil and 1 T. butter and heat.  Add the onions, carrots, mushroom stems, 1 t. salt, and 1/2 t. pepper.  Cook this over medium heat for about 10 minutes.  Add 6 C. chicken stock, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to a simmer, and cook slowly for 30 minutes.

Using a soup kettle heat the remaining butter and add the mushrooms and saute for about 8-9 minutes.  Add the flour and truffle powder if using and stir minute or so.  Stir in the sherry and water, then strain in the hot mushroom stock stirring well and continuing to cook.  Taste and add salt and pepper to taste.  Turn the heat down as low s it will go and simmer for 15 minutes.  Right before serving dissolve the cornstarch in the 10 1/2 oz. cold  undiluted broth and add it to the soup stirring and returning to a boil.   Add the cream and heat to serving temperature but do not boil.

Golden Cream of Wild Morel, Mushroom, and White Truffle Soup.

We love soup ladled into giant mugs and served with crisp saltines or crusty hot bread.

Yield 4-6 servings.