John Pleshette’s Chanterelle Soup

I love actor and foodie John Pleshette’s weekly recipes. They are seasonal and always delicious.

Chanterelle Soup

1 lb of fresh chanterelles

1 large leek

1 small head of celery root

1 granny smith apple

6 cups of chicken stock

Heavy cream

Crème fraiche

Fresh chives

Fresh chervil or parsley

Clean the chanterelles. Scrape off any grit with a sharp knife or a mushroom brush. Trim the very ends of the stems. Chop roughly.

Trim the root end and dark green leaves off the leek. Slice lengthwise. Rinse under running water. Chop roughly.

Melt 2 tablespoons of butter and a splash of vegetable oil in a heavy-bottomed pot or a Dutch oven.

Add the leeks, cover and sweat for a few minutes over a low flame.

Add the mushrooms. Raise the heat to medium. Cover. The chanterelles will disgorge their juice. Uncover and continue cooking until they are wilted. Stir from time to time so neither the leeks nor the chanterelles burn.

Meanwhile, peel the celery root and cut into 1-inch pieces. Add to the pot, cover and cook for 3 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Peel and core the apple. Cut into 1-inch pieces. Add half to the pot. Eat or discard the rest. Stir over the heat for 2 minutes.

Pour in the stock. Raise heat to high. When the soup starts to boil, lower to a simmer. Cook for about 15 minutes or until the celery root is easily pierced with a sharp knife.

Allow to cool, then puree with a handheld emulsifier or in a food processor.

When ready to serve, bring the soup to a simmer.

Beat together 1/2 cup of crème fraiche, thinned with a few tablespoons of heavy cream.

Mince the chives and chervil.

Turn off the heat under the soup. Stir in 2 tablespoons of butter.

Ladle into soup bowls. Add a dash of crème fraiche mixture. Scatter with herbs.

Serves 6