Golden Chanterelle Soup
Golden Chanterelles are by far my favorite mushroom to find and eat. Before moving to the Pacific Northwest, I had never heard of them, let alone tasted them.
Before moving there, I visited Portland with my family. We went to dinner at a restaurant, and I tried my first chanterelle on a pizza, delicious. The menu said “foraged mushrooms” and talked with the waitress about them. That’s when I understood the possibility of foraging.
After I moved, I got really into foraging, and found a reliable spot for harvesting chanterelles. Knowing the exact location, I swung by on my way to my favorite surf spot in Seaside. The waves were firing (6-8ft with offshore wind 😌) and I planned on getting there for a sunset session.
So I popped in, scooped some chanterelles and other mushrooms and hit the waves. Amazing day. I ended up with a few other mushrooms as well: a few Lobster Mushrooms (this is a very cool species), my first Cauliflower Mushroom, and a Shrimp Mushroom.
When I got home, I was trying to decide what to make and looked up some recipes. I found renowned French Chef August Eschoffier’s recipes for Creamy Chanterelle Soup. It looked like heaven. Using some fancy French techniques, the recipe seemed a tad intricate but it worked out in the end. While the star of the soup is the Chanterelles, the supporting actor is the Saffron. It’s expensive at $15 a jar but well worth it. I also saved some of the mushrooms I sauteéd and added them as a garnish with some chopped parsley and grated Parmesan. Served with some freshly toasted bread, this soup warmed my soul during a cold and rainy autumn.
