Heritage Place Charred Leek
and Mushroom Soup
here’s how I make it!
– By Brian Hemming,
Chef, Heritage Place Retirement Residence, Burlington
Ingredients
• 1 Pound fresh mushrooms, cleaned + sliced
• 1 bunch leeks, washed, dried, sliced into 1/4” pieces
• ¼ cup butter
• ¼ cup flour
• 4 cups vegetable broth
• 1 cup 18% cream
• 3 Tablespoon olive oil
• ¼ teaspoon cayenne pepper
• 2 Tablespoons fresh parsley
• salt and pepper to taste
Directions
1. Toss leeks in 1 Tbsp. olive oil, spread on a baking
sheet and bake in a pre-heated oven for 15 minutes,
stirring occasionally until leeks have achieved a light
brown color with crispy edges.
2. In a pre-heated skillet, add 2 Tbsp. olive oil and sliced
mushrooms. Allow mushrooms to brown slightly on
both sides, remove pan from heat and set aside.
3. Melt butter over low heat in a 3 Qt. sauce pan. When
butter is melted, whisk in flour and cook over low
heat for 8-10 minutes, being careful not to burn the
mixture (should be an almond colour).
4. Add stock to a saucepan, one cup at a time, whisking
thoroughly with each addition and being careful to
eliminate all lumps.
5. When all stock has been incorporated and the soup
has thickened, add charred leeks and mushrooms
(including juice from mushrooms) and allow soup
to simmer for 10-15 minutes.
6. Add cream, cayenne pepper and chopped parsley.
7. Season to taste with salt and pepper, and bring
soup back to serving temperature.
22
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When asked to participate in Hamilton’s Soupfest 2015, I
spent a great deal of time considering how to best represent
Heritage Place Retirement Residence in regards to our entry.
Soup is always a “feel good” part of our day, enjoyed at lunch
and dinner by residents, guests and staff members. Carefully
stepping through an array of soup recipes (being careful not
to trip over my own ego), we settled on this version with its
subtle flavours, locally grown vegetables and suitability in
pairing with entrées.
There are a couple of little “tricks” in the recipe which are
useful to understand and often bring about tremendous results!
For example, charring the leeks produces an almost nutty
flavour and positions the taste in an ideal spot between too
sweet (raw) and bitter (burnt). Also, sautéing the mushrooms
allows you to maintain the desired texture and make use of all
of their flavour. As the mushrooms cook, they initially give
off water and create a delicious stock. As the mushrooms are
added back into the soup, they re-absorb the liquid, making
the finished product exactly what you are looking for on a
cold February afternoon!
The beauty of soup is that once you have the basic technique
mastered, you are only limited by your imagination and
ingredients on hand. Have fun and explore! Try stirring in
some cream cheese or sour cream just before serving. How
about a garnish of crumbled bacon or truffle oil? Use your
imagination and never be afraid to bend the rules to suit your
mood. Enjoy! •
immune-boosting mushrooms
There are many different varieties of mushrooms
that have demonstrated beneficial effects against
cancer cells, boosting the immune system and
reducing chemo side effects. Mushrooms contain
specific compounds called ‘alpha and beta glucans’
that are responsible for the anticancer and immune
stimulating actions. Mushrooms are also powerful
adaptogens, which means
they help the body deal
with stress.