Ingredients
Check off ingredients as you go
Serves 4
- 600g (1.3 lbs) fresh mushrooms (button mushrooms or your choice)
- 1 onion, quartered
- 1 medium-large potato
- 200g (7 oz) cooked chestnuts (vacuum-packed)
- 200ml (¾ cup) heavy cream (or plant-based cream)
- 1 garlic clove (halved, germ removed)
- 2 sprigs of thyme
- 1 bay leaf
- 1L (4 cups) vegetable broth (or water)
- Salt, pepper
- 1 tbsp olive oil (or butter)
- Serving suggestions
- a few parmesan shavings
- or some sautéed mushrooms
- or a perfect egg or soft-boiled
- a few sprigs of chives or chopped parsley
In a large pot, sauté the sliced onion in 1 tbsp olive oil. Add the mushrooms cut into quarters (save a few for garnish), garlic, and potato. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Once softened (without browning), add the broth, thyme, and bay leaf. Cover and cook for about 30 minutes. If you want sautéed mushrooms for garnish, cook them in a separate pan during this time.
Transfer the vegetables from the pot to a blender (remove the bay leaf and thyme sprigs) with some of the cooking broth (I never add all of it at once, adjusting based on desired consistency) and the chestnuts. Adjust seasoning and blend until smooth and creamy. Add the cream, mix well, and serve in bowls.
Tips and Variations
- For a dairy-free version, replace the heavy cream with plant-based cream and top with sautéed mushrooms or chestnut pieces instead of parmesan.
- When in season, you can replace the onion with a leek white.
- Regarding chestnuts, they’re sold pre-cooked in vacuum-sealed packages in all supermarkets. Check the origin—they often come from China surprisingly enough. Personally, I prefer to avoid those.