A simple soup elevated: Mushroom Potato Caraway Soup

Thoroughly pureeing this simple soup of mushrooms, potatoes and caraway seed makes it velvety smooth and elegant. Recipe below.

A NUMBER OF YEARS BACK, WE WERE ON A ROAD TRIP THROUGH ILLINOIS AND IOWA, noodling around as is our way, and happened upon the Lincoln Cafe, in Mount Vernon, Iowa. Before launching into rhapsodies about its many wonders. I want to start by saying that the Lincoln Cafe has been closed for nearly ten years now. In its heyday, it was that rare place that achieved things which, in America, often clash—providing high-quality, honest, delicious fare and doing it at a modest price. It was neighborhood joint done right, and its location, right on the Lincoln Highway in the heart of tiny Mount Vernon, made it even more lovely.

Back to our visit years ago, we stopped in for a fast lunch, and I only remember one thing I ate—a finely pureed mushroom soup, scented with caraway. So simple and so completely perfect.

It’s always amazing to me that mushrooms are not beloved by everyone. They’re crammed with vitamins and minerals and antioxidants. They are marvelous sources of potassium and fiber. UCLA reports that a review of 17 cancer studies found that eating just 18 grams of mushrooms a day—which is two medium-sized button mushrooms—can lower your risk of cancer as much at 45 percent. They are good for your gut microbiome and support your immune system. And most of all they are just so delicious—even the everyday white mushroom done right is a total delight.

And this simple soup is a perfect example, turning the ordinary grocery store button into a satisfying, beautiful treat. The secrets, interestingly, are to not overdo it with the caraway, and to include potato in the mix—which smooths out the whole thing and makes the final result soothing and elegant.

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Mushroom Potato Caraway Soup

Thoroughly pureeing this simple soup of mushrooms, potatoes and caraway seed makes it velvety smooth and elegant.

Servings 4 as a main course, 8 as a first course

Ingredients

• 1 pound Yukon Gold potatoes, peeled and cut into small uniform pieces (see Kitchen Notes)
• 1 pound white mushrooms, cut into thick slices (see Kitchen Notes)
• 1 shallot, peeled and chopped (about 1/3 cup)
• 1 large clove garlic, minced
• 1/2 teaspoon caraway seeds, crushed in a mortar
• 4 cups chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons olive oil (or 1 tablespoon olive oil, 1 tablespoon unsalted butter)
• half and half
• garnishes (see Kitchen Notes)

Instructions

• Heat the oil or oil and butter in a big heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add the mushrooms and sauté until they brown and their liquid has evaporated—about 10 or 12 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté, stirring, for another minute or so, until the shallots become translucent.
• Add the potatoes, broth, and caraway, and stir everything together. Bring it to a boil, then reduce the heat to a gentle simmer and cook until the potatoes are tender.
• Remove from heat and let it cool a bit. Add salt to taste while it is still warm.
• Puree in batches in a blender or food processor. A hand blender is probably not going to do the job. And be careful! Blending warm or hot liquids can be dangerous—work in small batches. Process for at least 90 seconds (depending on the power of your blender or processor). This is best when it is velvet smooth.
• Once the soup is pureed, add it back to the saucepan. Add half and half to taste—probably two to four tablespoons per cup will do it—and stir it in. Heat it gently, garnish if you like, and serve right away.

Kitchen Notes

Potatoes? Yukon golds work out nicely, and simple red potatoes also are very nice for this recipe.

Mushrooms? We used basic grocery store white mushrooms. I’m looking forward to trying this with wild varieties once spring comes.

Garnish? The easiest garnish, as shown in our photo, is simply some sautéed mushroom slices—be sure to set as few aside before pureeing. You can also garnish with a scattering of finely chopped chives or scallion. For a more formal look, top with a sieved hard-boiled egg.

Lincoln Cafe? The former proprietor of the Lincoln Cafe, Matt Steigerwald, is now the chef at Wilson’s Ciderhouse in Iowa City which, hmmmm, is a mere 3 hours and 20 minutes from our house.