Porcini Soup

Not everyone loves giant pieces of mushrooms, if this is you, simply chop the larger porcini into smaller pieces before soaking them. Getting the salt right in this soup makes all the difference in the world. If you under-salt the soup it will be flat and the mushroom flavour will not come into focus, so be mindful of this.

Serves: 4-6.

Ingredients:

• 2 ounces of dried porcini mushrooms
• 1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 3 shallots, chopped
• 1 tablespoon fresh rosemary, finely chopped
• 1 1/2 pounds small new potatoes, cut into 1/3-inch pieces
• 3 large cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 4 cups water
• 1 1/2 - 2 teaspoons salt
• Extra toppings (optional) freshly grated Parmesan, chopped sun-dried tomatoes, fresh chives or fresh thyme.

instructions:

1. Soak the porcini mushrooms in 2 cups of hot water for about 15 minutes, or until they are soft. Set aside.
2. Heat a splash of the olive oil in a large thick-bottomed pot, saute the shallots for a couple of minutes, then stir in the rosemary and potatoes. Add the remaining olive oil and cook for about 3 minutes. Stir in the garlic, the porcini along with the soaking liquid, the 4 cups of water, and salt. Bring to a simmer and cook for ten minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Taste. If the broth is too intense, you may want to add more water a bit at a time. And take care to get the salt right as well, it's important in a simple soup like this.