Mastering the Art of French Cooking, Volume 2 (8 page)

Cold Green Herb Soup

See directions for the preceding Spinach Soup.

VEGETABLE VELOUTÉS

  
POTAGE AUX CHAMPIGNONS, ÎLE DE FRANCE

[Cream of Mushroom Soup II]

Cream of Mushroom Soup appeals to almost everyone, even to those who claim they hate mushrooms. This is a very simple version compared with the full-dress recipe in Volume I, page 40. Here puréed raw mushrooms simmer in an onion-flavored soup base, and if you have only a handful of stems rather than the 2 to 4 cups of fresh mushrooms specified, you will still have a delicious soup.

For 6 to 7 cups, serving 4 to 6

1)
The velouté soup base

½ cup finely minced onions

4 Tb butter

A 2½- to 3-quart heavy-bottomed stainless or enameled saucepan with cover

A wooden spoon

3 Tb flour

2 cups hot water

A wire whip

4 cups milk

2 tsp salt

Pinch white pepper

Big pinch tarragon

Cook the onions slowly in the butter for 8 to 10 minutes, until tender but not browned. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Remove from heat, and blend in ½ cup of the hot water with a wire whip. Gradually beat in the rest of the hot water, then the milk, seasonings, and tarragon. Bring to the simmer, stirring with wire whip; simmer very slowly for several minutes while preparing the mushrooms.

2)
The mushrooms

2 to 4 cups (5 to 12 ounces) fresh whole mushrooms or just the mushroom stems

A food mill with grating disk (large holes), an electric blender, or a large knife

Trim and wash the mushrooms. If you are using a food mill with grating disk, chop the mushrooms roughly and grate directly into the soup base. If using a blender, chop roughly, and blend ½ cup at a time with an equal amount of soup base, flicking switch on and off rapidly to avoid too fine a purée. Otherwise chop the mushrooms into ⅛-inch pieces with a knife, and add to soup.

3)
Finishing the soup

More milk if needed, or light chicken stock

⅓ to ½ cup or more heavy cream

Salt, white pepper, and drops of lemon juice

Simmer the soup, partially covered, for 25 minutes. Add more liquid if soup seems too thick, then stir in
the cream. Carefully correct seasoning, adding drops of lemon juice if you feel they are needed.

(*) May be completed to this point. Set aside uncovered until cool, then cover and refrigerate.

2 to 4 Tb soft butter

2 to 3 Tb minced fresh tarragon and/or parsley

Bring soup to simmer again just before serving. Remove from heat and stir in first the butter, a half tablespoon at a time, then the herbs. Serve immediately.

A more elaborate garnish

Omit all or most of the cream and butter enrichments if you wish. Ladle the hot soup into bowls, drop a spoonful of sour cream in each and top with minced herbs, or with sliced or fluted
mushroom caps previously simmered in water, butter, and lemon juice (Volume I, page 510).

Cold Mushroom Soup

Omit the final butter enrichment, and oversalt slightly. Stir several times as the soup cools, then cover and chill. Blend in more cream, if you wish, just before serving.

VARIATIONS

The following recipes are all for 6 to 7 cups of soup, serving 4 to 6. All may be served either hot or cold, as for the mushroom soup.

Potage de la Fontaine Dureau

[Cream of
Cauliflower and Watercress Soup]

This is a delicious and unusual, as well as a pretty, soup.