Ingredients

• 250 grams of chestnut mushrooms (or cremini/“baby bella” in America), quartered
• 20 grams of dried mixed wild mushrooms
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1 clove of garlic, chopped
• 1 tablespoon of butter
• 4 stems of thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 4 cups of water
• ½ cup of cream
• Sliced baguette (optional)
• Truffle oil (optional, but highly recommended!)
• Salt and pepper

Procedure

1. If making baguette toasts, slice the baguette straight across, creating ½ inch slices. Drizzle lightly with olive oil, or even truffle oil, and a touch of salt and bake at 400 degrees until just golden and crisp. Serve along with the soup.
2. Boil a quart of water. Add the dried mushrooms, and cover off the heat.
3. Melt the butter in a stock pot over medium heat. Add the shallots and garlic and salt and pepper. Sweat for 2-3 minutes so that the shallots are translucent and soft and fragrant, but never golden.
4. Save the mushroom stock, but remove the rehydrated dried mushrooms from the stock you just made with the hot water. Chop the mushrooms, and add along with the chestnut mushrooms, the thyme and bay leaf to the sautéing mixture. Sauté for 5 minutes, until the mushrooms begin to get some color and to soften.
5. Add the quart of your mushrooms stock, bring to a boil, and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.
6. Decant the soup into the blender. When pureeing hot liquids, be sure to remove the little cap button from the lid of the blender, and cover with a kitchen towel, to ensure that the steam can escape from the blender, but the mess is contained by the towel. Puree until smooth.
7. Return the soup to the pan, and stir in the cream to heat through. Serve in mugs or bowls with a baguette toast floating in the center, and a luxurious drizzle of truffle oil over the top.