Mushroom & Wild Leek Soup

We have wild leeks growing in our woods, that we transplanted there 2012. They are growing quite nicely, and returning every year, but it has to be conceded that at the rate they are spreading, they should be ready to harvest sometime around 2153. The acres of wild leeks (also known as ramps) in local woodlots are plainly not the result of hundreds of years of spreading so much as thousands of years. A somewhat amazing thought, and only very slightly tongue-in-cheek.

So I didn't use wild leeks for this, although that would be ideal if you could get them. What I did have, and recommend as my second choice, is shallot greens. I have some shallots that really don't die down in the fall and are green and leafy by now. They have some of the rich flavour of wild leeks too. But if you can't get shallot greens - and unless you grow them yourself, you probably can't - you will have to use green onions.

I used shiitakes, because I had rather a lot of them having found some on sale. I think a mix of shiitakes, oyster, and button mushrooms would be ideal, but nothing wrong with shiitakes! With smoked trout and cream, this was really delicious. It ought to be, I guess, because it is a bit on the pricey side, even with picking my own shallot greens. Definitely something for a special occasion.

4 servings
40 minutes prep time

Make the Broth:
225 grams (1/2 pound) smoked trout fillet
2 or 3 bay leaves
6 to 8 black peppercorns
1/8 teaspoon salt
6 cups of filtered water

Peel the skin from the trout and put it in a medium-sized pot with the remaining ingredients. Chop the trout meat and put it in a cool spot, covered - it's not going in until later. Bring the pot to a boil then reduce to a simmer and simmer, covered, for about 15 minutes.

Make the Soup:
6 to 8 wild leeks (ramps) OR green shallot or onions
250 grams (1/2 pound) mixed mushrooms
1/4 cup unsalted butter
6 tablespoons barley flour
1 teaspoon rubbed savory OR thyme
1/3 cup 10% cream

Meanwhile, wash and trim the wild leeks or green onions. Chop them finely, keeping the green and white parts in separate piles. Clean and trim the mushrooms (if using shiitakes, discard the stems - you could throw them into the pot of broth if you like) and chop them fairly finely.

Heat the butter in a heavy-bottomed soup pot over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and white parts of the onions/wild leeks, and cook, stirring frequently, for about 5 minutes. Add the remaining chopped green tops and cook for another 5 minutes or so. As they cook, sprinkle the barley flour over them and mix in well. Let it cook for a few minutes.

When the broth is ready, strain it into the pot with the cooked mushrooms etc, and discard the solids. Mix it in well. Let the soup simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring frequently. When it is well thickened, mix in the chopped trout and the cream. Bring it up to steaming hot again - about 5 minutes - but don't let it simmer. Check the seasoning and add a little more salt and pepper if needed. Serve at once.

Posted in: Ontario Food