One of the joys of entering a new season is breaking out our favorite recipes for said season. For Fall, that list includes soups & sandwiches for weekend lunches or light dinners. As I posted a new grilled cheese recipe on Tuesday, today is, you guessed it, a new soup! This soup could be considered a vegan version of French Onion Soup. The addition of fennel adds both flavor and a touch of sweetness. Mushrooms (in both of this week’s recipes) add depth and a savory umami component to recipes.
While mushrooms have been used as medicine and food since the time of the Ancient Egyptians, it wasn’t until the early 1700s that the edible fungi were successfully cultivated in France. It took another century for the practice to spread to the United States. Of the estimated 10,000 species of ‘shrooms in North America, only about 250 are known to be edible. White button, cremini, and portabello mushrooms are all the same mushroom, they are just at different levels of maturity. They comprise ninety percent of the mushrooms bought in the US. And most of what we cook with in our home.
P.S. If you like French Onion Soup, and don’t need a vegan version, this Alsatian Onion Soup is far better!
Caramelized Onion, Fennel & Mushroom Soup
Caramelized Onion, Fennel & Mushroom Soup (adapted from saveur.com) Yield: 4-6 servings, Time Required: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
1 fennel bulb, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise, fronds reserved- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups vegetable or beef stock
- 1 pound mushrooms, (cremini, shiitake, portobello or mixed) roughly chopped
- 1⁄4 cup dry white wine
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
In a dutch oven or large saucepan, heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and fennel to the pot and cook, stirring, until they are soft and caramelized, about 1 hour. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until it is fragrant, about 2 minutes.
Caramelize the onions and fennel.
The onions will take a while . . .
. . . but the flavor makes it worth the hour wait!
Pour in the stock and bring the soup to a simmer.
Add the broth to the caramelized onions.
While the soup is simmering, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat in a 12-inch skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they are golden, about 5 minutes.
Saute the mushrooms.
Add the wine and cook until the liquid is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes.
Add the wine to the mushrooms.
Scrape the mushrooms and wine into the soup and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes.
Add the mushrooms into the soup.
Season the soup with salt and pepper.
Simmer the soup for a bit to meld the flavors.
Ladle it into bowls, and garnish the servings with the reserved fennel fronds.
Add fennel fronds for garnish & a touch of color!
Ward off the chilly weather with some great soup! ~Linda
Caramelized Onion, Fennel & Mushroom Soup (adapted from saveur.com) Yield: 4-6 servings, Time Required: 1 hour, 30 minutes
Ingredients:
- 5 tablespoons olive oil, divided
- 3 large yellow onions, thinly sliced
- 1 fennel bulb, halved and thinly sliced lengthwise, fronds reserved
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 8 cups vegetable or beef stock
- 1 pound mushrooms, (cremini, shiitake, portobello or mixed) roughly chopped
- 1⁄4 cup dry white wine
- kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Instructions:
In a dutch oven or large saucepan, heat 4 tablespoons of the olive oil over medium heat. Add the onions and fennel to the pot and cook, stirring, until they are soft and caramelized, about 1 hour. Add the garlic and cook, stirring, until it is fragrant, about 2 minutes. Pour in the stock and bring the soup to a simmer.
While the soup is simmering, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon of olive oil over medium-high heat in a 12-inch skillet. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they are golden, about 5 minutes. Add the wine to the mushrooms and cook until the liquid is slightly reduced, about 5 minutes. Scrape the mushrooms and wine into the soup and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes. Season the soup with salt and pepper, ladle it into bowls, and garnish the servings with the reserved fennel fronds.