Thursday, December 22, 2011

Slovenian Mushroom Soup - Gobova Juha



From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...The Silver Fox and I are fortunate to live in a heavily forested part of the country. That means that exotic mushrooms can usually be purchased here for pennies on the dollar. In the fall, it is not uncommon to see seasonal hunters foraging for the more exotic members of the species. Brokers rent temporary sheds and serve as collecting points for the harvest and area stores and green markets benefit from easy proximity to these distribution centers. We even have a mushroom festival to celebrate the fall gathering and I've found a mushroom man who has taught me the ins and out of the hunt and what can be found on the forest floor. It was at one of these festivals that I first tasted a Slovenian mushroom soup, and began my search for the penultimate version of the soup that's known as Gobova Juha. I've found it, and while I can claim no credit for its creation, I feel duty bound to let others know about it. I made this soup for our lunch today and was once again reminded how very good it is. The soup is fast and easy to prepare, and while it is best made with made with wild mushrooms, creminis are a great substitute as long as you add a handful of dried mushrooms to boost its woodsy flavor. If you use creminis, wipe them clean and cut them into chunky quarters. You can, by the way, use up to a pound of them if you like a really meaty soup. This is a light soup and it is very low in calories. I don't think it is substantial enough for dinner, but it is perfect for lunch if you serve it with a salad and a hunk of of really good bread. I hope you'll give this a try. Here's the recipe for an uncommon and uncommonly good mushroom soup.

Slovenian Mushroom Soup - Gobova Juha...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite courtesy of Soupsong

Ingredients:
1 pound of meaty wild mushrooms cut into chunks, or a combination of half a pound of mushrooms bought from a store and three tablespoons of crumbled dried mushrooms which have been soaked in warm milk for a minimum of twenty minutes (this liquid may be kept for later use in another recipe).
4 to 5 tablespoons of butter
1 finely chopped medium onion
1 tablespoon flour
1 teaspoon minced garlic, divided use
2 medium potatoes, peeled and cut into small cubes
3 cups warm water
2 bay leaves
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
Pinch of dried marjoram, crumbled
1/2 cup semi-dry white wine (if possible a traminec or true rizling) or 1 tablespoon of wine vinegar
Salt to taste
Garnish:
2 tablespoons minced parsley
Dollops of sour cream

Directions:
1) Melt butter in a large saucepan and saute onions until transparent. Stir in flour along with 1/2 teaspoon garlic and cook until frothy, about 30 seconds.
2) Stir in mushrooms (whatever kind you have opted for). Add water, bay leaves, pepper, and marjoram.
3) Simmer and cook on low heat for ten minutes, then add potatoes and reserved 1/2 teaspoon garlic. Continue cooking, stirring at frequent intervals, for five minutes, or until potatoes are tender.
4) Add wine or vinegar and adjust seasoning to taste with salt. Ladle soup into bowls and sprinkle with parsley. Garnish with a dollop of sour cream. Serve immediately. Yield: 4 servings.









One Year Ago Today: Salt Cod and Tomato Stew
















Two Years Ago Today: Southern Nut Cake

23 comments :

Ginny Hartzler said...

It used to be thought that mushrooms had almost no nutritional value. And now they are finding out all kinds of good things about them!!!

Gerry @Foodness Gracious said...

Interesting info about the collectors in your area. That soup looks like a real good hearty tummy filler, perfect for this time of year except here in Southern California where it's still sunny and warm, kinda.
Take care..

sangeeta said...

Loved this recipe with dried mushrooms added to the soup. I have been making a lot of my mushrooms soups with lentil base these days...so comforting it is.

Diane said...

Love mushrooms soup and this sounds really good. Many people here go out collecting but I am not sure enough of what is edible and what is not. A friend brought us a box of huge cepes the other day and we did enjoy them. Diane

cocoa and coconut said...

Wow! I cannot imagine picking my own mushrooms! How rustic and natural..

I really like this dish. Great flavours, and very comforting for a cold winter night

lauren@spicedplate said...

I've been so into mushrooms lately -- we have a local forager who always stocks our local grocer with the best variety. I think they keep me healthy in the winter, perhaps that's why I'm craving them? This looks like such a wholesome, warming soup. Thanks for sharing!

Priya Suresh said...

Very interesting soup,looks super filling and comforting..

StephenC said...

I adore mushrooms, and I adore mushroom soup. Thank you for this.

Whats Cookin Italian Style Cuisine said...

Buon Natale hugs to you~

That Girl said...

You are very lucky to get mushrooms on the cheap!

Sanjeeta kk said...

Perfect for the winter season! Love that figgy pudding of yours.
Mary me and Lora are having a virtual party for New year celebration, would you like to join us? Details could be find here;
http://litebite.in/event-wwc/

Love and tight hugs, have a wonderful holiday!

Kim said...

You're so lucky... I'm having trouble to find great mushroom at a decent price. In september, I bought a pint of chanterelles and it cost like 10$... Anyway, this soup looks perfect!

Anonymous said...

This soup looks hearty enough for a meal to me. I wish I could find mushrooms like that where I'm from, but I usually have to pay a fortune at the grocery store.

Big Dude said...

Another good looking soup and it's really nice to have access to the wild schrooms.

T.W. Barritt at Culinary Types said...

I can just smell the aroma of the woods! My brother lives in Oregon and has begun mushroom hunting, so I am going to forward him this recipe. The festivals sound like great fun. Best wishes for Christmas, Mary!

Valerie Harrison (bellini) said...

This soup is hearty and special enough for the impending season Mary. Have a wpndewrful holidays season with family and friends!!

JG said...

Mary, this Mushroom Soup looks so appetizing. Nice with the small chunks of potatoes.

I wish you and your family a very Merry Christmas!
~Judy

Angie's Recipes said...

I am a huge fan of mushroom dishes. The soup looks so delicious and soulwarming.

France@beyondthepeel said...

There's something about meaty wild mushrooms that just screams comfort food to me. I think it's the earthiness of it all. Delicious recipe!

From the Kitchen said...

We love mushroom soup by any name or country of origin. I'm busy going through my soup file our winter's dining. This will go at the top of the list.

Have a lovely holiday for two. We were two last year and, even through we missed the children, it was a nice time.

Best,
Bonnie

Unknown said...

This soup looks comforting and wonderful. Wishing you and your family a very Merry Christmas Mary! :)

Cooking Gallery said...

I am not familiar with Slovenian cuisine, but this soup looks totally divine and I am completely sold...!!

dawn said...

i made this for lunch today and it was divine. thanks for posting!

Related Posts with Thumbnails

Printfriendly