Hungarian Mushroom Soup

I love Hungary. My brother served an LDS mission in Hungary and I toured it with him again a few years ago. Such a beautiful country with wonderful people and delicious food. Budapest is an amazing city. That stunning bridge crossing the Pest, the Fisherman's Warf, the markets... I think it's one of the most beautiful cities in Eastern Europe, if not the most. It's architecture has that classic Viennese influence. Most people just talk about Prague, because it's such a tourist hot spot. While Prague is a gorgeous city no doubt, I still prefer Budapest all and in all.

We're definitely going to get to more Hungarian cuisine in the future, but for now let me introduce you to something I just made that was absolutely delicious! A heavily Hungarian-influenced mushroom soup.

This soup is positively delightful! Onions and cremini mushrooms are caramelized in butter. A separate rich roux is made with butter and flour (this adds a world of depth and flavor to the soup). A heap of paprika is then thrown in along with the delicate flavor of dill and a variety of other ingredients that combine to make this a guaranteed hit at your dinner table!

This is a stunningly rich and satisfying soup. However, it is equally delicious, and in fact may be your preference, made a little thicker as a creamy sauce to eat over egg noodles. Try it both ways! Either way, it's a winner.

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 large onion, diced
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 12 oz mushrooms
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 4 teaspoons fresh dill, chopped or 2 teaspoons dried dill
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoons black pepper
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup milk
• 2 cups beef broth
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 cup sour cream
• Parsley, chopped, for garnish
• Extra sour cream, for garnish

Instructions

1. Melt 2 tablespoons of butter in small pan. Saute the onions until translucent and just barely beginning to brown. Add the garlic and saute for another minute. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes until the mushrooms release their juices. Add the paprika, dill, salt and pepper. Set aside.
2. In a stock pot, melt 3 tablespoons of butter and stir in the flour, constantly whisking for several minutes until the mixture is a rich, caramelized brown. Add the milk and broth, still whisking until the mixture is smooth. Add the mushroom mixture. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium, cover and simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Stir in the sour cream, simmer for another 2 minutes.
3. Serve immediately with chopped parsley. Add a dollop of sour cream to each bowl if desired.
4. Serve with crusty bread.
5. Alternatively, thicken the soup with a little more flour and serve over hot egg noodles.

Need more help? Check out step-by-step instructions of this recipe at The Daring Gourmet.

- - - - -
Recipe contributed by Kimberly Killebrew, author of The Daring Gourmet. Join her on a food adventure and check out what's cooking!