How to Make Hungarian Mushroom Soup*

How to make Hungarian Mushroom Soup*

* = if you are like Me!
I have been hungry for this soup, having not made it in quite a long time. It's been warm during the day (65-degree-ish) but the nights are still rather cold here. Something warm, cozy, and comforting was in order after a loud, chaotic, and hectic day today. So soup it is- Lindsey style.

You will need: Vegetable broth (I like Swanson's), fresh pre-cut mushrooms (any variety- mix & match with what's on sale), light sour cream, plain white flour, fresh parsley (can substitute with dried parsley), lemon juice, ground black pepper, butter, paprika, & dill.

Not shown above but still needed: Garlic salt, milk, & onion

I began cooking, and then decided (about 4 steps into the creation) that I wanted to photograph & write this out into my silly blog. So here goes!

Missing steps:

#1- Melt butter in pan

#2- Add package of frozen pre-chopped onions

(Frozen pre-chopped onions are a wonderful invention!!! And so kind to the eyes)

#3- Cook onions on Medium heat until soft

#4- Add all of the mushrooms*
*If you are like me, you will add all the mushrooms first, and then realize (of course, too late) that the shallow skillet is not going to be deep enough for all of the mushrooms!

**If you are like me, you will then (messily) transfer all of this mixture of onion-butter-mushrooms into a much-larger soup pot.

#5- Add both cans of vegetable broth. Stir in any remaining mushrooms that did not fit into the shallow skillet.

#6- Add paprika, garlic salt, pepper ("the spices"), and flour

#7- Pour a glass of wine.*
*If you're like me, you will also have lumpy end-of-long-day hair and a fantastic apron that was purchased on a relative's trip to Germany. Worn over pajamas, of course! It doesn't matter at all that the apron is probably many sizes too small...


#8- While broth/mushroom/onion/spice mix is boiling low & covered with a lid, let simmer for about 10 minutes so mushrooms soften up.

#9- Retrieve the cutting board, sharp knife, & Fabulous CHOPPER utensil.

#10- Cut the lemon in half & set aside for now. Cut parsley leaves into sections (use of parsley stems is not recommended!)

#11- Use Fabulous CHOPPER to cut the parsley into tiny-ish pieces.

#12- Stir in container of light sour cream. The broth/mushroom/onion/spice mixture should be turning a light beige color with the addition of the sour cream.


#13- Add parsley to the soup.
If you used fresh parsley, be sure and remember to breathe in that yummy, fresh-chopped parsley air!

#14- Squeeze juice from both halves of the lemon into the creamy, tan-colored soup.
Be careful of seeds! No one likes mushroom soup with a surprise crunchiness.

#15- Stir well. Put lid back on, let it all simmer together for maybe 5-7 minutes, so that parsley can soften up. Drink some more of that wine while you're waiting.

#16- Pour in the milk. Be careful not to pour too much in- it will get too runny!*
*If you're like me, you will decide to just loosely eye-ball the amount of milk poured in, rather than measure properly.

As a result, your soup will be too runny and you will have to add in extra flour to thicken it up. As a result, you will have to wait another 5 minutes to allow thickening to occur. Sigh. Better to just measure properly.

#17- Put lid back on soup. Let it all marinate together...*
*If you're like me, you will wash dishes from cooking (shallow skillet, cutting board, Fabulous CHOPPER), counter-top where the mess has been made, and any dishes remaining in sink from the days prior to this one...

**You also might unload the dishwasher while you are at it, of course, if you are even more like me!

#19- You might also look through the New Frontiers' sale ads for intriguing ingredients for future concoctions, as well as set out* some Tupperwares to store all of this soup.
*If you're like me, you will also set out your favorite bowl and spoon to eat dinner with. They are clean now, since you've unloaded the dishwasher!

#20 - Ladle some soup into your favorite bowl and lift your favorite spoon.

#21- Sprinkle top of soup with a little bit of that fresh parsley for appearances.

(You want to look a little closer? Okay.... )

Eat & Enjoy!*

*Lastly... if you are like me, you will serve yourself a second bowl! Yummm.

Hungarian Mushroom Soup

12 oz. of fresh mushrooms

(Use variations of types- portabella, baby bella, etc. See what is on sale! I used 3 medium packages from the produce section.

If you can find them pre-cut, you have saved yourself that task!)

2 cups of chopped onions

(Frozen pre-chopped onions are a blessing... I used 1 bag.)

~6 Tbsp butter

3 Tbsp flour

(Unless you add too much milk...)

2 cups milk

3 Tsp of dill

3 Tsp of Hungarian paprika

(Regular paprika works just fine- the same red kind you would use on deviled eggs.)

2 Tsp salt
2 Cups of vegetable stock

(I use Swanson's canned- the pop-tab lids are great! I used 2 cans)

Fresh lemon juice - to taste

(I cut one lemon into halves, picked out the seeds, and squeezed juice from both halves)

Fresh chopped parsley - to taste/to look

(I chopped the entire head of fresh parsley, discarding the stems)

Fresh black pepper - to taste

2-3 cups sour cream

(I used an entire container of light s.c.- It depends on how creamy you want your soup!)

Saute the onions in butter. Salt lightly. Add mushrooms, dill, 1 can of vegetable stock, and paprika. Cover and simmer on medium heat (low boil). Melt remaining butter, whisk in flour, add milk and cook until thick. Stir into mushroom mixture and add remaining can of vegetable stock. Simmer on medium heat, covered with lid. Add sour cream, salt, pepper, lemon juice, milk, and parsley. Simmer for another 10 minutes (to soften parsley). Stir very thoroughly.

Top the bowl off with a sprinkle of fresh parsley.

Eat!

Enjoy!

Share with family & friends!