Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Leave it to me to make a soup once the weather turns for the better and everyone else is firing up their grills. But this soup was begging to be made and it is quick to prepare so no slaving over a hot stove or hours with a burner on. The beauty of this dish is in the simplicity; the few ingredients needed, the simple preparation, and the short time it takes to produce wonderful results. This recipe is a combination of several recipes I found while doing some research, along with my own creative touch. The majority of the recipes I used for this variation came from Eastern Europe – primarily of Hungarian, Czech, and Slovak origins – and from my experience, I need to explore this region’s cuisine much deeper. So if you need a quickly prepared meal with Eastern European flair, I suggest you give this recipe a try. It will satisfy your hunger and soothe your soul.

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Prep time: 10 mins

Cook time: 45 mins

Total time: 55 mins

Serves: 1

Ingredients

8 oz crimini mushrooms, halved and sliced thinly, ¼ inch
3 oz guanciale or bacon, diced
1 small shallot, diced
½ tsp Hungarian sweet paprika (or more as desired)
¼ tsp Hungarian hot paprika (or more as desired)
1 tsp flour, plus 1 tbsp
2 tsp soy sauce
½ cup heavy cream
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock, plus ¼ cup
1 tbsp cream sherry (if desired)
2 tsp red wine vinegar
salt and pepper to taste
chopped parsley for garnish

Instructions

Heat a medium saucepan over Medium heat.
Add the guanciale or bacon and cook until crisp, approximately 7 - 9 minutes.
Remove all but 2 tablespoons of rendered fat.
Add the mushrooms and cook with the guanciale and fat until the edges begin to brown, approximately 10 - 15 minutes.
Halfway through the cooking of the mushrooms, add the shallots.
When the edges of the mushrooms begin to brown, add the teaspoon of flour and the paprika, stirring so the spices do not burn.
Cook the paprika and mushroom mixture for a minute or two until the spices bloom.
Add the cup of stock, sherry (if using), and soy sauce, stirring to combine.
Bring the mixture up to a gentle simmer and add the cream, stirring to incorporate.
Cook the soup at a gentle simmer for 10 minutes.
If the soup needs to be thickened, make a slurry by whisking together in a small bowl the remaining flour and stock.
Add small amounts of the slurry and stir to incorporate until desired thickness is achieved.
Allow the soup to cook for a minimum of 5 minutes after the last addition of slurry to cook out the raw flour taste.
Add salt and pepper to taste.
Right before serving, add the vinegar and stir to combine.
Ladle soup into a bowl and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.

Heat a medium saucepan over Medium heat. Add the guanciale or bacon and cook until crisp, approximately 7 – 9 minutes.

Remove all but 2 tablespoons of rendered fat.

Add the mushrooms and cook with the guanciale and fat until the edges begin to brown, approximately 10 – 15 minutes.

Halfway through the cooking of the mushrooms, add the shallots.

When the edges of the mushrooms begin to brown, add the teaspoon of flour and the paprika, stirring so the spices do not burn.

Cook the paprika and mushroom mixture for a minute or two until the spices bloom. Add the cup of stock and soy sauce, stirring to combine. Bring the mixture up to a gentle simmer and add the cream, stirring to incorporate.

Cook the soup at a gentle simmer for 10 minutes. If the soup needs to be thickened, make a slurry by whisking together in a small bowl the remaining flour and stock. Add small amounts of the slurry and stir to incorporate until desired thickness is achieved. Allow the soup to cook for a minimum of 5 minutes after the last addition of slurry to cook out the raw flour taste.

Add salt and pepper to taste. Right before serving, add the vinegar and stir to combine. Ladle soup into a bowl and garnish with chopped fresh parsley.