Recipes

Bouillon de Champignons Comme un Cappuccino (Mushroom Cappuccino)

  • Serves

    serves 4

TODD COLEMAN

Michelin three-star chef Alain Chapel wowed author Gael Greene with this innovative "cappuccino", a rich, earthy soup made with mushrooms. To foam the broth, use the steamer attachment on a cappuccino machine, or froth it in a blender.

Ingredients

  • 6 tbsp. butter
  • 1 lb. button mushrooms, halved
  • 8 oz. mixed mushrooms, such as oyster, shiitake, and blue foot, thinly sliced, trimmings reserved
  • 1 oz. dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 1 12 cups heavy cream
  • Kosher salt, to taste
  • Cayenne pepper, to taste
  • 12 crayfish tails, cooked and shelled, or 4 oz. cooked lobster meat, cut into bite-size pieces
  • 4 sprigs fresh chervil or tarragon leaves

Instructions

Step 1

Heat 3 tbsp. butter in a 3-qt. high-sided skillet over medium heat. Add button mushrooms and mushroom trimmings and cook, stirring often, until they release their liquid, about 10 minutes. Add 3⁄4 oz. dried shiitakes and 4 cups of water; boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until liquid has reduced to 3 cups, about 10 minutes. Set a fine-mesh strainer over a 2-qt. saucepan. Strain broth, pressing mushrooms with the back of a spoon to extract liquid; discard solids. Add cream to mushroom broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low and simmer until flavors meld, about 10 minutes. Season broth with salt and a pinch of cayenne and set aside.

Step 2

In a spice grinder, grind remaining dried shiitake mushrooms to a fine powder. Transfer mushroom powder to a small skillet over medium-high heat and toast, swirling pan constantly, until fragrant, about 5 minutes. Transfer mushroom powder to a small bowl; set aside.

Step 3

Heat remaining butter in the skillet over medium heat. Add mixed mushrooms, season with salt, and cook, stirring gently, until tender, 4-5 minutes. Add crayfish, season with salt, and cook until hot. Remove pan from heat and set aside.

Step 4

To serve, foam reserved broth on high speed in a blender or with the steamer attachment on an espresso machine. Mound crayfish mixture in 4 teacups or small bowls, and ladle in broth. Spoon foam on top, dust with mushroom powder, and garnish with chervil.

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