During the long cold months of winter, you might think that fresh produce in the Hudson Valley is limited to storage crops like potatoes, apples, and squash. But while most farmers are waiting for the ground to thaw, there’s one crop that’s grown, harvested, and sold year-round: mushrooms.

We’re spoiled for choice here: Tivoli Mushrooms, Sugarshack Mushrooms in New Paltz, the Flowering Sun Ecology Center, and Bulich Farm are just some of the valley-based cultivators that produce and sell at local farmers markets and grocery stores.

Mushrooms are gorgeous and incredibly nutritious, and we’d like to show you how we make them into a warm, creamy, incredibly silky soup that is as tasty as it is beautiful. 

And even if you don’t think you like mushrooms, we think this soup will change your mind. We realized that every time we didn’t like a mushroom recipe, it wasn’t the mushroom that was at fault — it was the preparation. For example, when served raw, white button mushrooms are chalky and flavorless. And even the fanciest mushroom will become soggy and slimy if cooked at too low a temperature. 

But, once you cook a mushroom properly, over high heat, not moving it around too much, magic happens. It becomes beautifully brown and caramelized and develops complex flavor and texture. Toss in some fresh herbs, a little wine or sherry, and a pat of butter… sheer heaven piled on a slice of toast or tucked inside an omelette.

In this soup, we use a combination of crimini (sometimes called baby bellas, or chestnut) and shiitake mushrooms. If either of those aren’t available or too expensive, you can use whatever variety looks good — even white button mushrooms would be delicious here.

For an extra punch of mushroomy richness, we also use dried porcini, which impart a deep, woodsy flavor. And don’t waste the liquid they reconstitute in: It’s packed with flavor, too (though you will want to filter out the sandy silt that collects at the bottom).

Winter brings a slowdown, and we hope this recipe will encourage you to likewise slow down and pay more attention to the mushroom section of your grocery. There’s a lot of flavor, warmth, and comfort there.

Creamy Mushroom Soup with Black Rice 

Delectable, creamy winter soup created from a blend of mushrooms, herbs, and wild rice — this is our choice for an easy and healthy vegetarian supper that highlights the variety and richness of the fungi kingdom.  

Prep time: 30 m

Cook time: 1 hr

Total time: 1 hr 30m

Serves 6

Ingredients

• 3/4 cup black rice, or any kind of wild rice
• 1 ounce dried mushrooms: porcini, morels, or shiitakes
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter (or use more olive oil)
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms or white button, thinly sliced
• 1 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced
• 1 Spanish onion peeled and chopped (about 2 cups)
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled and minced
• 2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves, minced
• 4 sage leaves, minced
• 1/2 cup dry sherry, divided
• 6 cups chicken or vegetable stock
• 4 ounces mascarpone (or cream cheese or vegan cream)

For the Enoki Mushroom and Crouton topping:

• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter or extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 2 ounces enoki mushrooms, separated into 1-inch pieces
• Kosher salt and ground pepper, to taste
• 1 garlic clove, grated
• 1/2 loaf 12-inch crusty baguette, torn into rough 1/2-inch pieces

Instructions

• Soak the dried mushrooms in 1 cup of hot water for 20 to 30 minutes, until soft. Strain the soaking liquid through a coffee filter and reserve the liquid, along with the reconstituted mushrooms.
• Meanwhile, cook the rice according to the package directions. Remove from the heat and set it aside to cool.
• Heat the olive oil and butter in a large Dutch oven or heavy soup pot set over medium-high heat. Add the crimini and shiitake mushrooms. Cover the pot until the mushrooms release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Remove the cover and continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms turn golden brown and caramelized, about 10 minutes. 
• Add the onion, and season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are soft and translucent, about 7 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, and sage, and cook until fragrant, about 1 minute.
• Stir in 1/4 cup of sherry, the stock, the dried mushrooms, and the filtered soaking water. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Add the other 1/4 cup sherry and simmer another 5 minutes. 
• Using an immersion blender (or work in batches with a standing blender), puree the soup until completely smooth. Stir in the mascarpone and the cooked rice, and cover the pot to keep it warm.
• For the topping: Set an 8-inch skillet over medium-high heat and add 1 tablespoon of butter or oil. When hot, add the mushrooms and let them brown on one side, about 3 minutes. Turn and crisp the other side. Season with salt and pepper and remove to plate. Add the other tablespoon of butter and the grated garlic. Stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Toss the bread pieces into the garlic butter and cook, stirring often, until it browns and crisps into croutons. Season with a little more salt and pepper.
• Divide the soup into bowls, and top each with some mushrooms and garlicky croutons.