Best Dried Porcini ConsommÉ Nyt Recipes

MUSHROOM AND DRIED PORCINI SOUP

Steps:

• Place the dried porcinis in a bowl or a pyrex measuring cup and cover with 2 cups boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes. Meanwhile, wipe the fresh mushrooms, trim away the bottoms if they're sandy, break off the stems and set them aside. Set aside the caps in a separate bowl.
• Drain the porcinis through a cheesecloth-lined strainer set over a bowl. Squeeze over the strainer to extract as much flavorful liquid as possible and set aside the broth. Rinse the mushrooms in several changes of water. Measure the mushroom soaking water and add water to make 2 cups.
• In a soup pot or a large saucepan, combine the mushroom soaking liquid, the chicken or vegetable stock, the soaked porcinis, fresh mushroom stems, garlic, tomatoes, and 1 teaspoon salt, and bring to a simmer. Cover and simmer over very low heat for 1 hour. Strain the soup and return to the saucepan. Add salt and freshly ground pepper to taste.
• Slice the fresh mushroom caps paper-thin, toss with a couple of drops of lemon juice, and add to the soup pot. Heat through for 5 minutes.
• If garnishing with the garlic croutons, top them with Parmesan and place in a hot oven or toaster until the Parmesan has melted. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish each bowl with chopped fresh chives and a crouton or two if desired.

TOFU MUSHROOM SOUP

Steps:

• Place dried mushrooms in a bowl or large heatproof measuring cup and cover with 2 cups boiling water. Let sit for 30 minutes. If mushrooms are sandy, agitate from time to time. Line a strainer with cheesecloth and place over a 1-quart measuring cup. Drain through the strainer, then twist mushrooms in the cheesecloth, holding them over the strainer, to squeeze out the last of the flavorful liquid. Discard reconstituted mushrooms or set aside for another use.
• While porcinis are soaking, pull tough stems away from shiitake mushroom caps. Slice caps thin and set aside.
• Combine the mushroom broth with enough water to make 9 cups liquid and place in a saucepan or soup pot. Add shiitake stems, quartered button or cremini mushrooms, halved head of garlic, salt and ginger slices, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover and simmer 30 minutes.
• Use a slotted spoon or skimmer to remove mushrooms, stems, garlic and ginger from broth. Add soy sauce to broth. Taste and adjust salt.
• Bring broth back to a boil and add tofu. Reduce heat to a simmer or a gentle boil, cover partly and simmer for 30 minutes. Tofu will puff a little, and texture will become more porous and spongy.
• Add thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps, cover and simmer 5 minutes. Stir in cilantro and chives. Taste, adjust seasoning and serve.

ANDREAS VIESTAD'S PORCINI CONSOMME

Steps:

• In a medium pot, bring vegetable broth to a boil. Add mushrooms (all fresh or a combo of dried and fresh), peppercorns, bay leaves and the cinnamon stick. Reduce heat and simmer for 20 minutes, skimming off any foam that forms on the surface.
• Line a colander or sieve with cheesecloth (I use a coffee filter sometimes) and strain the consomme into another pot, pressing gently on the mushrooms with a spoon to extract as much of the liquid as possible. Discard mushrooms and spices.
• Reheat the consomme and season to taste with salt. Pour into bowls and garnish with a couple of tablespoons of cream per portion, sprinkle with cinnamon and serve.

PORCINI RISOTTO

Steps:

• Soak dried porcini in 3 cups water until rehydrated, about an hour. Strain the mushrooms, reserving the broth for the risotto. (Discard the last 1/2 inch of the liquid; it will contain dirt from the porcini.) Roughly chop the mushrooms, then set aside. When you're ready, heat the chicken stock and mushroom broth to a simmer.
• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat; add onion and season with salt and pepper; add garlic and cook until slightly translucent. Add rice and stir to coat with the oil; season with salt and pepper and cook until slightly translucent. Add wine and stir until almost all the liquid has cooked off. Add hot stock and broth mixture, a ladleful at a time, completely stirring in the liquid each time. Keep adding broth as needed so there is always a 1/4-inch liquid layer over the rice.
• After 15 to 20 minutes, the rice should be close to al dente. Add the mushrooms, then the sage (leaving some for garnish), stirring vigorously. Taste and adjust seasoning. Remove from heat and stir in butter, then cheese. Serve immediately.
• To serve, spoon into shallow bowls, shave some Parmesan on top, then garnish with remaining sage.

PASTA WITH DRIED MUSHROOMS AND TOMATO SAUCE

Steps:

• Place the mushrooms in a bowl or a pyrex measuring cup and cover with hot water. Let soak 15 to 30 minutes, until thoroughly soft. Line a strainer with cheesecloth and set it over a bowl. Drain the mushrooms and squeeze them over the strainer. Then rinse in several changes of water and chop coarsely. Measure out 1/4 cup of the mushroom soaking liquid.
• Begin heating a large pot of water for the pasta. Heat the olive oil in a large, wide, heavy nonstick frying pan over medium heat and add the onion or shallot. Cook, stirring, until tender, 3 to 5 minutes. Add the garlic and stir together for minute, until fragrant, then add the mushrooms and stir together for a minute or two, until fragrant. Add the tomatoes and their juice, the mushroom soaking liquid you set aside, the thyme, and 1/2 teaspoon salt. Stir and turn up the heat. When the tomatoes begin to bubble, lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring often, until thick and fragrant, 15 to 20 minutes. Add a generous amount of pepper, taste and adjust seasonings. Keep warm.
• When the pasta water comes to a boil, add a tablespoon of salt and the pasta. Cook al dente, following the timing directions on the package but checking a minute or two before the time on the package. Remove 1/4 cup of the pasta cooking water and stir it into the mushroom sauce. When the pasta is cooked through but still firm to the bite, remove another 1/2 cup water, drain the pasta and toss with the sauce in the frying pan if possible. If you wish to thin out the sauce or moisten the pasta further, add 1/4 to 1/2 cup of the pasta cooking water or more of the mushroom soaking liquid. Serve hot; pass the Parmesan at the table.

PORCINI BROTH

Steps:

• Put all ingredients in a sauce pan. Cover with 4 cups water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain. Broth may be made in advance and will keep a week, refrigerated.