The misty and wet Autumn evenings call for warmers up. There is nothing more appealing than a creamy soup. When it features the most emblematic ingredient of the Autumn season, mushrooms, it becomes a sophisticated starter for a refined dinner.
Whisky laced mushroom velouté and crispy bacon (Autumn)
Serves 6
800g button mushrooms (or wild mushrooms like Porcini/Boletus)
2 shallots, finely chopped
50g butter
1 tbsp flour
1,2 l beef stock
150ml double cream
salt & pepper
1 pinch of grated nutmeg
6 smoked bacon rashers
a few sprigs of parsley
Method: Wash mushrooms, cut the foot off and chop it. Slice the mushrooms (keep 1/4 aside). In a pan, sauté chopped shallots in butter. Sprinkle with flour and add mushrooms. Stir for 2 minutes. Then add stock. Season with salt and pepper and grated nutmeg. Cook for 15 min. Then blend until you get a smooth creamy texture.
Fry the bacon in a dry pan until it gets crunchy.
Gently whisk cream, add whisky and pour into hot velouté. Stir to mix perfectly. Pour into 6 plates. Top with rasher of bacon. Decorate with a sprig of parsley. Serve with toasted bread and a herb “beurre manié”
Beurre manié: Mix soft salted butter with chopped herbs (tarragon, parsley and chervil). Add a pinch of chili and -why not? – a dash of whisky.
The pairing: The earthy flavour of mushrooms will match deliciously with the smoked bacon. Avoid peated whiskies (the two smoky flavours would fight and peated whiskies might overwhelm the subtle taste of the mushrooms. Choose a single malt with a hint of sherry, like a double matured Aberlour or Balvenie. Glenrothes Vintage Reserve, Linkwood 15 Year old, Tamdhu 10 Year Old are other good options. On the spicy side, go for a Longmorn 16 Year old.