Dried Porcini Mushroom Soup with Potatoes

Cooking method

1. Step 1:

   

   How do you make dried porcini mushroom soup with potatoes? Start by gathering your ingredients. You can use any dried mushrooms here, but porcini give the soup the most fragrant, deeply savory flavor. Mine are homemade, dried in the oven, so they come out a little browned, which actually gives them an even more pronounced mushroom taste.

2. Step 2:

   

   Cover the dried porcini with 300 ml (about 1 1/4 cups) of cold water and let them soak in a cool spot for 12 hours.

3. Step 3:

   

   Wash and peel the potatoes. Cut two of them into matchsticks or large dice, whichever you prefer. Drop the cut potatoes into a bowl of cold water so they don't darken while you work.

4. Step 4:

   

   Pour 1.5 liters (about 6 1/4 cups) of water into a pot and add the remaining potato (I halved mine since it was large). Set the pot over medium heat, bring to a boil, add salt, and simmer until the potato is tender. This takes 15 to 25 minutes, depending on the variety and size.

5. Step 5:

   

   While the potato cooks, turn to the mushrooms. Lift them out of the soaking water (don't toss the water, you'll need it later) and chop them. I cut mine into large matchsticks to match the potatoes; if you diced the potatoes, dice the mushrooms too, so everything looks consistent in the bowl. Pour half the oil into a skillet and add the mushrooms.

6. Step 6:

   

   Saute them over medium heat, stirring, for 5 to 7 minutes. This deepens their color and brings out the aroma.

7. Step 7:

   

   Once the mushrooms are browned, add them to the pot with the potato. Strain the mushroom soaking liquid into the pot and add the cut raw potatoes. Bring everything to a boil, then lower the heat and keep it at a gentle simmer.

8. Step 8:

   

   While the soup simmers, make the saute. Pour the remaining oil into the same skillet you used for the mushrooms and set it over medium heat. Peel and dice the onion, then add it to the pan.

9. Step 9:

   

   Peel the carrot and grate it on the fine side of a box grater, then add it to the pan with the onion. You can use the coarse side instead if you like, it's up to your taste.

10. Step 10:

    

    Stir everything together and saute for about 7 minutes, until the vegetables are tender.

11. Step 11:

    

    Stir the sauteed onion and carrot into the soup.

12. Step 12:

    

    Lift out the potato you boiled whole and mash it with a fork, then return it to the pot. This gives the soup body and a richer texture. Simmer a few more minutes, until the matchstick potatoes are tender too.

13. Step 13:

    

    Rinse the dill, pat it dry, chop it finely, and stir it into the soup. Bring back to a boil and remove from the heat. Your dried porcini mushroom soup is ready.

14. Step 14:

    

    Serve it hot. Enjoy!