Porcini Basil Oil Soup Truffle Recipe

Soak porcini

Place dried porcini mushrooms in a heatproof bowl and pour 3 cups hot water over them. Let soak 20–30 minutes until soft. Reserve the soaking liquid by straining through a fine mesh or coffee filter into a measuring cup to remove grit; pour off and discard any heavy sediment and set liquid aside. Roughly chop rehydrated porcini, keeping a few whole slices for garnish if desired.

Make basil oil

While porcini soaks, combine fresh basil leaves, 3 tbs cold-pressed olive oil, and 1 tsp lemon juice in a blender or small food processor. Puree until bright green and smooth, about 30–45 seconds. Taste and add a pinch of salt if desired. Pass through a fine sieve if you want an extra-smooth oil; reserve in refrigerator until use.

Sauté aromatics and mushrooms

Heat 2 tbs unsalted butter and 2 tbs extra-virgin olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook until translucent, 5–7 minutes. Add minced garlic and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant. Add sliced cremini mushrooms and chopped rehydrated porcini; cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release moisture and begin to brown, about 6–8 minutes.

Build soup

Sprinkle 2 tsp all-purpose flour over the mushrooms and stir for 1 minute to cook the raw flour. Slowly add 4 cups vegetable or chicken stock while stirring to avoid lumps. Add 1/2–3/4 cup of the reserved porcini soaking liquid (leave most behind if very gritty or strongly flavored) to boost mushroom flavor. Bring to a simmer and cook 10 minutes to meld flavors.

Finish and blend

Remove from heat. Use an immersion blender to purée the soup until smooth but still slightly textured; alternatively, transfer in batches to a blender and blend until smooth (careful with hot liquid). Return to low heat, stir in 1 cup heavy cream, and warm gently without boiling. Season with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper, adjusting to taste. If soup is too thick, thin with up to 1/2 cup additional stock or reserved soaking liquid.

Plate and finish

Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle about 1 tsp truffle oil over each serving and add small spoonfuls (about 1 tsp) of basil oil, using a toothpick to create marbled patterns if desired. Add a pinch of grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and a few microgreens or basil leaves. Use reserved whole porcini slices to arrange on top for visual interest.

Preheat oven to 350°F (175°C). Toss torn focaccia pieces with 2 tbs olive oil, 2 tbs toasted sesame seeds, 1 tsp chopped rosemary, 1 tsp sea salt, and 1/2 tsp black pepper until evenly coated.

Spread the coated bread pieces in a single layer on a baking sheet. Bake 10–12 minutes until crisp and golden, stirring once halfway through to ensure even browning. Remove from oven and let cool slightly.

Once cool, pulse the crisped bread pieces in a food processor or crush with a rolling pin to make coarse breadcrumbs (leave some larger crumbs for texture). Transfer to a bowl and reserve until plating.

To serve, sprinkle about 2 tbs of the sesame focaccia breadcrumbs over each bowl of soup for crunch and sesame aroma.

If desired, finish each bowl with an extra 1/2 tsp truffle oil for intensified aroma. Scatter the remaining grated Parmigiano-Reggiano and microgreens as preferred.

Serve immediately while hot so the basil oil and truffle aroma are bright and the breadcrumbs remain crisp.