Meat-free Monday roasted mushroom and blue cheese soup
This soup is rich enough to stand alone, but if you want to go all in, pair it with some crusty bread or buttery garlic crostini.
Mushrooms already have that amazing earthy, umami magic, but when you roast them they get even deeper, richer, and more intense. Stir in creamy, tangy Gorgonzola and you’ve got a soup that tastes like something from a fancy restaurant.
And before you ask – no, the Gorgonzola isn’t overpowering. It melts right in, adding just the right amount of flavour without taking over. Serve with a glass of the Spier Ideology Rhône-style blend.
Recipe compliments of Spier.
Serves: 8 | Prep time: 10-20 minutes | Cooking time: 30 minutes.
Ingredients
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 100g salted butter
• 8 shallots finely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves peeled and chopped
• 500g portobellini mushrooms cut into quarters
• 500g large brown mushrooms sliced
• 500g button mushrooms quartered
• 3 teaspoons of finely chopped thyme
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
• 50g dried mushrooms – soaked in 500ml of boiling water
• 2 Litres of vegetable stock
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 500ml cream
• 150g gorgonzola
• Freshly chopped chives to taste
Method
- Heat the butter and olive oil in a large heavy based pot and fry the shallots over low heat until soft and translucent, but not browned. Add the garlic, thyme and rosemary and stir through. Add the mushrooms and fry gently till golden. Add the dried mushrooms with liquid and deglaze the pot.
- Pour in the stock and season with salt and pepper. Simmer until the mushrooms are very tender, this should take about 10 – 15 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and leave to cool for a few minutes and with a stick blender or food processor, blend until smooth. Pour the soup back into the pot and add the cream and gorgonzola cheese. Bring to a simmer and check seasoning.
- Serve with a sprinkling of freshly chopped chives and a glass of the Spier Ideology Rhône-style red blend.
About the wine: Spier Ideology Rhône-style red blend is a medium-bodied red blend that offers aromas of delicate of pomegranate, Turkish delight, cinnamon and liquorish. On the palate, there’s full taste of mulberries, subtle white pepper and coriander, laced with fine tannins and fresh acidity for balance.
