ServingsServes 4 as a main course, about 6 if served over rice
Ingredients
60 ml (4 tablespoons) butter*
300 g (2 cups) yellow onions, diced
Salt to taste
450 g (1 pound) fresh wild mushrooms (a mixture of shiitake, maitake, oyster, etc.)
22 ml (1½ tablespoons) fresh dill
473 ml (2 cups) vegetable broth
15 ml (1 tablespoon) soy sauce
15 ml (1 tablespoon) hot Hungarian paprika
45 ml (3 tablespoons) all-purpose flour
236 ml (1 cup) milk (almond or coconut is OK)
10 ml (2 teaspoons) freshly squeezed lemon juice
Pepper, to taste
118 ml (½ cup) sour cream
Fresh dill, to taste
Fresh parsley, to taste
* This recipe can be made vegan by using olive oil in place of butter, using unsweetened almond or coconut milk (the author used a mix of both), and by omitting the sour cream (or using a vegan substitute).
Preparation
1. In a large Dutch oven, melt half the butter over medium-low heat. Add the onion, tossing to coat in the butter. Salt the onion lightly.
2. When the onion is translucent, add the mushrooms, dill, a quarter of the broth, the soy sauce and the paprika. Stir to combine, cover and let simmer for 25 minutes.
3. In a small saucepan, melt the remaining butter over low-to-medium heat. Whisk in the flour and continue to cook for 2-3 minutes. Add the milk and continue to cook, stirring frequently, until the mixture thickens and coats the back of a spoon. Do not allow the mixture to boil.
4. When it has thickened to your liking, slowly whisk in the remaining broth. When combined, add this mixture to the mushroom mixture and stir to combine. Cover and simmer for another 12-15 minutes.
5. Just before serving, add the lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste, and the sour cream. Serve hot with dill and parsley for garnish. This soup is particularly good over white or brown rice.
Mara Lubans-Othic is a writer, veteran, and self-taught cook. She and her husband live on a farm in the Willamette Valley of Oregon, in the United States, where they raise chickens and trouble. She holds an MFA in nonfiction writing from Oregon State University. Her website is www.maralubansothic.com.