This hearty, warming soup is a Hungarian version of creamy mushroom soup, with a good dose of Hungarian paprika and fragrant dried herbs imparting its unique, earthy hue and flavor. Although any mix of wild mushrooms can be used, common white button or cremini mushrooms are wonderful here (or use a combination); the key is to lightly caramelize them to maximize their complexity. A final swirl of tangy sour cream and lemon juice brightens the rich, creamy soup.
Gombaleves (Creamy Mushroom Soup)
By Kay Chun in New York Times Cooking
Ingredients
Yield:4 appetizer servings (about 4½ cups)
- 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 pound white or crimini (or other) mushrooms, thinly sliced (about 6 cups)
1 cup finely chopped yellow or white onion- Salt and pepper
- 3 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 tablespoon Hungarian paprika
- 2 teaspoons dried dill
- ½ teaspoon dried thyme
- 3 cups low-sodium chicken, mushroom or vegetable broth
- 1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
- 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
- 1 cup whole milk
- ¼ cup sour cream, plus more for serving (optional)
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- ¼ cup chopped parsley
- Crusty bread, for serving
Preparation
Step 1 – In a large Dutch oven or pot, melt butter over medium. Add mushrooms and onion, season with salt and pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and all of the liquid has been absorbed, 10 minutes. Continue to cook, stirring occasionally, until vegetables are lightly caramelized, 5 minutes.
Step 2 – Stir in garlic, paprika, dill and thyme until well blended, then add broth and Worcestershire sauce. Bring to a boil, stirring to lift up any browned bits on the bottom of the pot. Cover, reduce heat to low and cook, stirring occasionally, to allow flavors to meld, 10 minutes.
Step 3 – Place flour in a small bowl; whisk in milk until smooth. Add milk mixture to the pot (reserving the bowl) and cook, stirring occasionally, until soup has thickened slightly, about 5 minutes. Turn off heat.
Step 4 – While soup thickens, place sour cream in the small bowl and whisk in ¼ cup of the soup, 1 tablespoon at a time, until well blended. (Tempering the sour cream will prevent it from curdling when added to the hot soup.) Add sour cream mixture and lemon juice to the pot and mix well. Season with salt and pepper.
Step 5 – Divide soup among bowls and top with parsley and a dollop of sour cream, if desired. Serve warm, with crusty bread on the side. (The soup can be stored in the refrigerator for 3 days or frozen for up to 3 months. To reheat, simply thaw then warm in a saucepan over low heat, whisking, until warm.)
