Mushroom soup

Mushroom soups are closely linked to the cuisine of the forest regions of Russia and the tradition of preparing mushrooms for the winter. Fresh mushrooms are used in season; dried ones allow an aromatic soup to be prepared all year round. As early as the beginning of the 19th century, variants existed made from dried porcini mushrooms with flour dressing and nut oil. In modern home cooking, potato, pearl barley, or noodles are often added to the mushrooms, and sour cream is added when serving.

There are many forests in Russia, so it is not surprising that the tradition of collecting wild mushrooms is popular among Russians: they can be found in the forests of the Moscow region, the Caucasus, Siberia and the Far East — almost throughout the country. Russians ironically call the mushroom picking process a «silent hunting».

There is nothing better than bringing your trophies from the wild and frying them in a pan or making mushroom soup. However, there is a hint. Traditional mushroom soup in the Russian style is the best if cooked with no fresh but dried mushrooms. Italian porcini are absolutely similar to Russian. Potatoes, barley and small pasta like vermicelli are added for thickness and character.

I love a mushroom soup that’s packed with ingredients. Potatoes, which lend a slightly starchy, dense texture. Several types of mushrooms—both dried and fresh porcini. I’m particularly fond of porcini mushrooms; they provide the perfect aroma.

In the Altai region, we make a mushroom stew with salted fern. It has a flavor profile somewhat reminiscent of *rassolnik* [pickle soup]. I really enjoy the taste of the salted fern itself—a product traditionally cured in Altai

represented by

Anton Kovalkov

cooking
time 60 min

difficulty
level Easy

key
ingredients 10

Ingredients

dried porcini mushrooms

40-50 g

flour

1 tsp

medium carrot, grated

1 pcs

celery root, finely diced

100 g

medium onion, finely diced

1 pcs

small potato, diced

1 pcs

pearl barley

1/4 cup

handful of vermicelli

vegetable oil

2 tbsp

salt and black ground pepper

to taste

sour cream to serve herbs (dill or parsley)

to serve

Portions: 6

Recipe

Cooking

Start by soaking dried mushrooms in hot water for 1 hour, reserving the liquid; chop them and simmer with mushroom broth, barley, potatoes, celery for 30-60 minutes until tender.

Sauté onions and carrots in oil, add tsp of flour, then stir in to thicken; finish with fresh dill. 
Simmer briefly to blend flavors.

Serving

Serve hot with sour cream and chopped herbs

where
to try

DR. Zhivago

Moscow

Dr. Zhivago is a grand café on the ground floor of the historic Hotel National, with views toward the Kremlin and Manege Square, and a recommendation from the Michelin Guide. The main hall displays reproductions of major Soviet-era paintings — Malevich, Petrov-Vodkin, Deineka, Samokhvalov — while an inner room takes its black-lacquer, gold-ceilinged look from Palekh lacquer boxes. The menu reworks Russian classics such as pozharsky cutlets, sturgeon aspic, and caviar service, backed by a vodka bar of polugar, samogon, and infused spirits.

SAVOY

Moscow

Opened in 1913, Savoy is one of Moscow’s oldest luxury restaurants, famous for its Art Nouveau interiors and historic atmosphere. The menu combines Russian classics with European fine dining.

Mari Vanna

Moscow

Authentic Soviet cuisine in excellent execution: famous salads like Olivier, herring under a fur coat, and mimosa; borscht, pirozhki, and of course, vodka — without which Soviet cuisine would not be complete.

show more where to try in russia

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