posted by Mai 02-03-103 8:29 AM
Bourbon Three Mushroom Soup
1 lb. button mushrooms
1 lb. Shiitake mushrooms
1 lb. oyster mushrooms
4 oz. butter
4 Tbsp. shallots, chopped
1 1/2 Tbsp. tamarind paste*
3 Tbsp. molasses
4 dashes of Tabasco
1 cup bourbon
2 1/2 quarts heavy cream 1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. ground white pepper
pinch of nutmeg
1 tsp. chopped fresh tarragon
I tsp. fresh mint, chopped
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
Separate each type of mushroom into 1/2 lb. portions. Slice 1/2 lb. of each type and set aside. Chop the remaining mushrooms and place into a stockpot with the butter and shallots.
Sweat these ingredients over low heat for 5 minutes. Add the tamarind paste, molasses, Tabasco and bourbon.
Increase the heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes. Add the heavy cream and reduce by one quarter. Add salt, pepper, nutmeg and herbs and simmer for 20 minutes.
Finish by saute'ing the reserved sliced mushrooms on medium heat for 5 minutes, add to the soup and simmer for 5 minutes longer. Makes 2 quarts.
*Tamarind is a fruit used in dried form in a lot of Indian cooking. The usual way to buy it is in a compressed block consisting of fruit, skin and seeds, but it's generally used in recipes in the form of a paste, which is extracted from the dried fruit as follows.
Tamarind Paste: Soak pieces of dried tamarind in hot water for three hours, then mash well with a fork and press through a sieve. Scrape out pulp remaining in the sieve, mix well with a little more hot water, and pass through the sieve again to glean any remaining flesh. Discard the remaining skin and stones from the sieve. Keep the resulting tamarind paste in a closed jar in the fridge for up to a week.
Note: If you need tamarind paste at short notice, an alternative to the three-hour soak is to simmer the tamarind in the water for 10 minutes, or microwave it in the hot water for 5 minutes, stirring often.
Tamarind Paste can be purchased in specialty shops and direct mail order.