Zupa Grzybowa (Mushroom Soup)

Description: Polish mushroom soup is exactly what it sounds like. A soup based on mushrooms. Poland is known to have some of the best mushrooms in the world having mushrooms grown abundantly in Poland’s many forest areas. Poland is very densely populated with forests all around so gathering ingredients for this dish even in the Middle Ages wouldn’t be so hard to do.

Ingredients:

1⁄4 lb dried wild mushrooms, preferably boletus edulis

9 cups beef stock

1 cup butter (not margarine)

1 cup finely chopped onion

1 tablespoon cornstarch

salt

white pepper

sour cream

chopped fresh parsley

Directions:

1. Cover mushrooms with cold water and soak overnight.

2. Drain the mushrooms reserving the soaking liquid, strain the liquid through a fine cloth.

3. Rinse the mushrooms in cold water to remove any remaining sand then slice into strips.

4. Add the mushrooms, 8 cups of of the beef stock and the soaking liquid to a 3 quart saucepan, bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer over low heat 4 hours.

5. Melt the butter in a heavy skillet, add the onion, sauté until golden brown then add to the soup.

6. Whisk the cornstarch with the remaining cup of beef stock, add to the soup, stir and simmer until slightly thickened.

7. Season to taste with salt and pepper, ladle into individual bowls, top each with 1 tbs sour cream and sprinkle with parsley.