This version is a spin-off of a traditional Russian recipe. Russian soups have a base of clear broth and are never creamy, and mushroom soup is no exception. This is exactly how we used to make it back in the day: boil fresh mushrooms, pop in some potatoes, carrots and onions and season with salt and pepper. I remember calling it ‘forest soup’ because of its deep, woody, earthy aromas. These days I’m using frozen king bolete – also known as porcini, or cèpes – and add a number of supporting ingredients to enhance the overall flavour.
The Flavour Affair:
King Bolete + Bay Leaf + Black Peppercorns + Nutmeg
The trio of bay leaf, nutmeg and black peppercorns is a heavenly match for king bolete. They help draw out the natural sweetness of mushrooms by creating a subtle contrast on the background: herbal, pungent, bittersweet. Yet each one of them has warmth, which is what makes them connect so beautifully together.
Other Ingredients:
Potatoes, carrots and onions are essential elements in the traditional recipes. Potatoes are simply cut into bite sized pieces and boiled. As for onions and carrots, we typically saute them first in a little oil to improve the flavour and add a bit of fattiness to the soup.
Spinach: although not a part of any original recipe, spinach is amazing here. It goes very well with both mushrooms and spices, has an added benefit of being packed with nutrients and creates a beautiful pop of color. I also very much like its delicate, creamy texture.
Parsley: a classic companion for the mushrooms, freshly chopped parsley adds a fragrant, fresh finish.
Sour Cream: in Russia, we love adding sour cream to our soups. It thickens them, cools them down a bit and adds a subtle sourness. It also works particularly well with mushrooms, so I would suggest you definitely give it a go!
Preparation Tips for Mushroom Soup with King Bolete, Spinach and Nutmeg:
- Buy a pack of frozen king bolete mushrooms that have ideally been cleaned – this will make cooking a breeze.
- Do not defrost the mushrooms! Just wash them under lukewarm running water to get rid of dirt, if any.
- Place frozen clean mushrooms into a bowl and cover completely with water. Typically, they just need around 20-25 minutes of simmering.
- Bay leaf and black peppercorns go in first together with the mushrooms. They impart their flavours to the broth during the simmering stage.
- In turn, nutmeg can lose much of its taste if cooked over longer periods of time. For this reason it is better to add a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg at the very end.
- While the mushrooms are cooking, prepare the rest of the ingredients. Cut the potatoes into bite-sized pieces. Thoroughly wash spinach leaves and set aside. Finely chop an onion and grate a carrot over the larger side of the grater. Heat 2 tbsp of cooking oil to medium and fry the onions for 3-4 minutes until just starting to turn golden. Then add the carrots and fry for a few more minutes until the carrots soften. Add 1/2 tsp of salt and set aside.
- Once the mushrooms are cooked, take them out, add 1/2 tsp of salt, cut potatoes and simmer until they are done.
- Return the mushrooms to the pot with potatoes and add the onions and carrot mixture. Stir to combine and taste and adjust for salt.
- Switch the heat off and stir in spinach leaves. This way they will just wilt, preserving their colour and texture.
- Lastly, sprinkle over 1/3 tsp freshly grated nutmeg or nutmeg powder.
Serve garnished with chopped parsley and some fresh bread on the side. Enjoy the soup the traditional Russian way by stirring in a tea spoon of sour cream.
Looking for more Russian style soup recipes to try? make sure to check out my Meat Solyanka, the famous Borscht, or Hearty Lamb and Lentils Soup!
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Mushroom Soup with King Bolete, Spinach and Nutmeg
Equipment
- 1 Soup pot
- 1 medium frying pan
Ingredients
- 300 g frozen king bolete mushrooms
- 1 bay leaf
- 1/2 tsp whole black peppercorns
- 3 medium potatoes cut into bite sized pieces
- 1 medium carrot grated
- 1 small onion finely chopped
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- 2 cups of fresh spinach leaves thoroughly washed
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/3 tsp ground nutmeg
- Fresh chopped parsley for garnish
- Sour cream to serve optional
Instructions
- Wash the mushrooms under running lukewarm water. Do not defrost – we will be cooking frozen washed mushrooms.
- Place mushrooms into a medium soup pot and cover with 1.5l of cold water.
- Add 1 bay leaf, 1/2 tsp of black peppercorns and bring to boil.
- Simmer for 20-25 minutes or until mushrooms are cooked.
- In the meantime, heat 2 tbsp of olive oil in a medium frying pan.
- Add the onions and fry for 4-5 minutes until just starting to turn golden.
- Add the grated carrot and fry for further 3-4 minutes until it softens. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and set aside.
- When the mushrooms are cooked, take them out and transfer to a plate.
- Add 1/2 tsp of salt to the pot, add the potatoes and simmer for 7-10 minutes until the potatoes are done.
- Return the mushrooms and the onions and carrots to the pot and stir to combine. Taste and adjust for salt.
- Turn the heat off and stir in the spinach leaves. Keep stirring until they just wilt.
- Sprinkle over 1/3 tsp of grated nutmeg.
- Serve garnished with fresh chopped parsley and sour cream.
Notes
- The soup can last in the fridge for 2 days.
