Recipe: Crystal Cruises’ Cream of Forest Mushroom Soup

Rich, creamy, and full of earthy flavor, Crystal Cruises’ cream of forest mushroom soup has been a signature dish aboard the line’s luxury ships for more than 20 years. It was first served solely in the Italian specialty restaurant, Prego, in an oregano-laced bread bowl, but it’s now offered “cappuccino-style” once per cruise in the main dining room as well. We got our hands on the recipe — which gets its depth from four different types of mushrooms — so you can try this onboard favorite at home: 

Crystal Cruises’ Cream of Forest Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

1 oz. dried morel mushrooms, or 2 oz. fresh morels

3 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil

½ cup portobello mushrooms, finely sliced

2 oz. white mushrooms

3 oz. fresh porcini mushrooms, finely sliced

3 shallots, minced

2 garlic cloves, minced

Salt and freshly ground white pepper

½ cup dry white wine

4 cups chicken stock

½ cup heavy cream

2 Tbsp. minced fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley

Leaves from 1 fresh thyme sprig, minced

Leaves from 1 fresh oregano sprig, minced

2 large fresh basil leaves, chopped

(4) 6-inch round bread loaves

Fresh rosemary sprigs, optional

Sliced mushrooms, optional
scallions, options

Directions

If using dried morel mushrooms, wash the caps and soak them in warm water to cover for 10 minutes. Remove the stems and discard them. Cut small morels in half and large ones into three or four pieces.

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, heat the olive oil and sauté all of the mushrooms for about 3 minutes. Add the shallots and garlic and sauté for 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add the wine and cook to reduce the liquid by half.

Add the stock and bring to a boil. Add the cream and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer the soup for about 25 minutes. In a blender or food processor, purée half of the soup until the consistency is very smooth. Pour into bread bowls and garnish with fresh rosemary, sliced mushrooms, and scallions.

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