Cream of mushroom soup

A cream of mushroom soup is more of a fall or winter dish – it had to be one of the recipes with March’s Veggie of the Month though.

 

Cream of Mushroom Soup 4

 

Cream of Mushroom Soup 5

 

Cream of Mushroom Soup 6

 

Cream of mushroom soup

What you need:
300g mixed wild mushrooms (if you use frozen mushrooms like I did, let them thaw first)
2 tbsp olive oil
1 small onion, chopped
1 tbsp tomato paste
350ml vegetable broth
100ml white wine
100ml cream
5 tbsp crème fraiche
2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
salt
pepper
 

What you do:
Place a large saucepot over medium heat and heat the oil, then add the onion. Sauté for three or four minutes, then add the mushrooms and cook for a few minutes (or until most of the water the mushrooms may release has evaporated). Add the tomato paste and stir. Add the wine and let most of it evaporate, then add the broth. Bring to a boil and let it simmer over medium heat for about 10 minutes. If you like, scoop out about 1/4 of the mushrooms to put them back in later (I didn’t).

Puree the soup using an hand-held blender. Stir in the cream, add salt and pepper to taste. If you set mushrooms aside, put them back in now.

Mix crème fraiche and parsley.

Scoop the soup into plates, put a tablespoon of crème fraiche on top and serve immediately.


Grilled cheese sandwich with mushrooms and caramelized onions

Do you know those days when everything that could possibly go wrong really does? I experienced one of those highlights the other day at the office and by the time I finally got home, I needed something quick but also seriously delicious for dinner. Like a grilled cheese sandwich!

What I love about grilled cheese sandwiches is that you can be super creative if you want to or super not creative and simply put leftover veggies between all of that cheese and bread and it would still taste great. I made one with March’s VotM – the mushroom – and added caramelized onions, because they make so many things taste a lot more awesome.

Grilled cheese sandwich 1

 

Grilled cheese sandwich 2

 

Grilled cheese sandwich 3

 

Grilled cheese sandwich 4

 

Grilled cheese sandwich with mushrooms and caramelized onions

What you need:
2 slices of bread
1 small red onion
1 tbsp butter
1 tsp sugar
1 tbsp white wine
4-5 mushrooms
4 tbsp grated cheese (i.e. gouda or cheddar)
2 tsp butter or herb butter
salt
pepper

What you do:
Slice the mushrooms and onions.

In a skillet of medium-high heat, melt the butter and add the onions. Let them brown, then add the sugar, mix. Add the wine to dissolve the sugar and stir until most of the liquid has evaporated. Take the onions out of the pan, set them aside.

Put the mushrooms into the same skillet and let them brown without adding fat, season with a little salt and pepper, then set them aside. Meanwhile, butter the bread on one side (I used herb butter because I wanted to add the extra flavour). Turn the heat down to medium-low.

Place half of the cheese on the non-buttered side of one slice of bread, then spread the onions and the mushrooms over it. Put the rest of the cheese on top and cover with the other slice of bread, buttered side up.

Transfer the sandwich to the pan and let it cook for two or three minutes on one side, then flip it and leave it on the other side until golden and crunchy, about two minutes. Cut it in half and nomnom!


Mushroom risotto

Risotto is a great dish to use small amounts of fresh vegetables you have left when it’s just too  little to cook anything else with it(or bacon or cheese or pretty much anything you could possibly serve with rice). In this case, it is a great way to use March’s VotM, the mushroom. This mushroom risotto is not only yummy, it is also sooo easy to make. But you really have to be in the kitchen all the time until it is done – it only takes about half an hour total though, including preparations. 

Mushroom risotto

 

Mushroom risotto 4

 

Mushroom risotto 5

 

Mushroom risotto

What you need: 

1 small onion
2 cloves of garlic
3 tbsp olive oil
150g Arborio Rice
100ml white wine
600ml vegetable broth
black pepper
1 tbsp butter
Parmesan cheese

What you do:
In a saucepan, heat the broth and keep it warm over medium heat. Wash and slice the mushrooms, chop up the onion and garlic cloves.

Heat a large skillet to high heat. Let the mushrooms brown in it, stirring occasionally. Add a little salt and pepper and set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the onion and let it brown, add the garlic after two minutes and stir. After a a minute or so, add the rice and mix to coat every grain with fat. Add the wine and stir constantly until it is fully absorbed. Add a small amount of broth (I divide the 600ml into 6 or 8), stir well and let the rice absorb all of the liquid, then add the next part. The process should take about 15-20 minutes, the rice should be al dente (not hard, not too soft). Turn off the heat, add the mushrooms, butter, Parmesan (as much as you personally like) and a little pepper. Serve immediately!

 

Tip!

The broth has to be hot to keep the cooking process going when you add it to the rice, so don’t let it cool (also don’t let it boil). Everytime you add broth, stir well – stirring creates the creamy texture you want to achieve because it loosens the starch molecules from the outside of the rice grains.


Spaghetti with creamy mushroom sauce

Wow, already March! February went by so fast, don’t you think? The beginning of March does not only that spring is right around the corner, it’s also time for a new Veggie of the Month! This month’s VotM is one of my all-time favourites: the…

Mushroom!

The first recipe is a quick lunch or dinner:

 

Spaghetti with creamy mushroom sauce - Gourmet Elephant

 

Mushroom Spaghetti 3

 

Mushroom Spaghetti 2

 

Mushroom Spaghetti 4

 

Spaghetti with creamy mushroom sauce

What you need:
250g spaghetti
1 shallot
2 tbsp. olive oil
400g mushrooms
100ml white wine
100ml low fat cream
1 heaping tbsp. frozen mixed herbs
Parmesan cheese

What you do:
Cook the spaghetti in salted water. Meanwhile, chop up the shallot, wash and slice the mushrooms. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over medium-high heat, sauté the shallot, then add the mushrooms and cook until golden brown. Add the wine and stir, let most of it evaporate. Add the cream and herbs. Season with salt and pepper.

When the noodles are done, drain them, then add the spaghetti to the sauce and mix. Take the skillet off the heat. Grate the cheese and you’re done!