Chef Milos' Mushroom Recipe

Prepare mushrooms

Clean mushrooms with a damp towel and trim stems. Roughly chop 1 lb mixed mushrooms; reserve 8 oz for purée if desired.

Sauté aromatics and mushrooms

In a large heavy-bottomed pot, heat 1 tbsp olive oil and 3 tbsp butter over medium heat until butter foams. Add diced onion, sliced leek, and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Increase heat to medium-high, add the chopped mixed mushrooms, and spread them in an even layer. Let them brown undisturbed for 3–4 minutes, then stir and continue to cook until mushrooms release their liquid and begin to caramelize, about 6–8 more minutes.

Deglaze and simmer

Pour in 1 cup dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits from the bottom. Cook until wine is reduced by about half, 3–4 minutes. Add 6 cups stock, 3 thyme sprigs, and 1 bay leaf. Bring to a gentle simmer, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes to meld flavors.

Finish with cream and season

Remove thyme sprigs and bay leaf. Stir in 1 cup heavy cream and season with 1.5 tsp salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper. Keep warm over low heat while you prepare the purée.

Sauté reserved mushrooms

In a medium skillet, melt 1 tbsp butter over medium-high heat. Add the reserved 8 oz mushrooms and a pinch of salt. Sauté until deeply browned and any released liquid evaporates, about 6–8 minutes.

Blend to a purée

Transfer the sautéed mushrooms to a blender or food processor. Add 2 tbsp light cream (or milk) and 1/4 tsp salt. Blend until very smooth, adding 1–2 tbsp of warm soup stock if needed to reach a thick spoonable consistency. For an extra-silky texture, press the purée through a fine-mesh sieve back into a bowl.

Incorporate purée

Ladle about 2 cups of the hot soup into the blender with half of the purée and pulse once or twice to slightly thicken the soup (optional). Alternatively, swirl a spoonful of purée into each serving bowl for concentrated mushroom flavor and texture contrast.

Plate

Divide the soup among 4 warm bowls (about 1.5 cups per serving). If you partially blended soup with purée, ensure bowls have a silky consistency. Add a spoonful of reserved purée to the center of each bowl for texture.

Garnish

Drizzle each bowl with a few drops of truffle oil if using (about 1/4 tsp per bowl). Sprinkle chopped chives and shaved Parmesan over the top, and finish with toasted baguette slices or croutons on the side.