Mushroom Soup – Boosts Immune System

This mushroom soup is my very favorite soup! If you want a healthy life, mushrooms will elevate you! Skip the supplement aisle and pick up some mushrooms. An all-natural multivitamin and an antioxidant to fight viruses and a plethora of other age related ailments makes mushrooms a super food. A good reason to add mushrooms to your daily diet. The earthy, beef flavour of mushrooms is a favorite for vegans and an addition to Keto diets. Why is this mushroom soup so splendid? The answer is the porcini mushroom.
Porcini mushrooms are tops in — F-L-A-V-O-R 🌶️ T-O-W-N .

Lady Kathy


Lady Kathy spent summers in Italy eating fresh fish & olives. She helped pick the large porcini mushrooms in the Italian alps for various dishes. Reminiscent of her childhood, Lady Kathy’s Porcini/ Mushroom Soup is a little bit of Heaven on earth!

LADY KATHY'S Mushroom Soup

  • Servings: 5-6
  • Difficulty: medium
  • Print

INGREDIENTS
DEHYDRATED Porcini mushrooms: 10 pieces (a handful) of dried porcini mushroom

FOR THE SOUP:
500 gm ( 2 cups) brown (cremini) mushrooms, washed and quartered
10 parsley (half bunch)
10 cilantro (half bunch)
1 red onion chopped
1 clove garlic
1 tbsp. quinoa (heaping)
3 tbsp. Olive oil
Salt & pepper

INSTRUCTIONS
REHYDRATE Porcini Mushrooms
In a 500 ml (2 cups) measuring cup add the dried porcini and pour 400 ml (14 oz.) boiling water over the mushrooms. Let it stand for 30 mins. The porcini will relax and the trapped sand will fall to the bottom of the cup. After the porcini has cooled, take the porcini slices out of the measuring cup and place them in a 15/20 cm (6″ – 8″) diameter sieve. Rinse them under gently running water to make sure no sand is present on the slices -if needed.

SOUP:

  1. In a medium size sauce pot put olive oil, onion, clove garlic, and sauté until onion turns golden.
  2. Add cremini mushrooms, parsley, cilantro, and 700 ml ( 3 cups) water. Get it to a light boil. Throw out the clove of garlic.
  3. Add 1 tbsp. quinoa, salt and pepper, continue simmering.
  4. Throw the rinsed porcini slices into the simmering soup.
  5. Line the sieve with cheesecloth or 2 sheets of paper towel. Hold it above the pot. Pour the porcini water slowly into the lined sieve so it drips into the soup. Leave the last half inch of water with the debris (if any) in the measuring cup and discard it.
  6. Simmer for 15 mins
  7. With a smaller sieve -or slotted spoon- take out the vegetables etc. and put into a food processor with bit of soup and purée.
  8. Pour purée back into the rest of the soup and stir.

What are Porcini Mushrooms?

A rich, heady, meaty mushroom with a deeper and nuttier flavor than white, button mushrooms. Sold both fresh and dried, porcini mushrooms are prized in Italian and French cuisine. They vary in size from a medium to jumbo sizes – depending on the richness of the soil. These popular mushrooms (also known as king bolete or cèpe in French) are grown naturally in pine forests at the base of trees. Some of the porcini mushrooms may have white spots on them. That is a natural coloring from the skins of the mushrooms. It is not mold and is perfectly safe to eat. Note: Porcini, meaning “piglet” in Italian. Are you thinking truffles? I did not know that porcini mushrooms are regulated by the Italian gov’t, the same as truffles.

Cremini Mushrooms

Cremini mushrooms are small- to medium-sized brown mushrooms that have an earthy, mild taste. While the difference in taste between white button mushrooms and creminis is small, some people find the flavor of creminis to be richer and more appealing.

Mushroom BENEFITS:

Bonus: Aid In Weight Loss Programs! Mushrooms keep a healthy balance of bacteria in the gut and is associated with a strong immune system. Research suggests that turkey tail mushrooms may enhance gut health as it contains prebiotics that feed and nourish the good bacteria in your gut .

FOOD TIP: Shiitake mushrooms are a good substitute for porcini mushrooms.(less earthy but similar meaty texture). A garlic farmer once told me that fresh is best-dried is second best. Microwaving and grilling are the best ways to cook mushrooms without slashing their antioxidant power. Complimentary additions to the soup are garlic, shallots, celery and roasted chestnuts.

Dried Mushrooms

Freezer friendly Mushroom soup is loaded with protein and fiber. Low in saturated fat, gluten free and easy to digest. Make a batch and freeze a few individual servings for an easy cup of soup!!

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