Potato and Wild Mushroom Soup

Soak dried porcini mushrooms in 1 cup of hot boiling water for 20 minutes, until re-hydrated and soft. Strain the soaking liquid through a cheesecloth-lined sieve (or use a coffee filter) over a bowl. Remove the mushrooms and reserve for the garnish. The mushrooms will re-hydrate and yield about ¼ cup. Reserve ½ cup of the porcini liquid to make the soup. Any remaining liquid can be used to enhance a stock, sauce or to flavour rice.

Heat the butter and vegetable oil in a medium saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the leeks, oyster mushrooms, shallot and garlic. Cook, stirring, until the vegetables have softened, about 5 minutes. Add the chanterelle mushrooms and cook an additional 2 minutes.

Add the potatoes, reserved porcini liquid and chicken stock. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Bring to a boil and reduce heat to a simmer. Simmer the soup for 30 minutes, or until the potatoes are soft. Remove from heat and puree in a blender. Strain the soup through a medium-meshed sieve. Chill completely. Add the cream and keep refrigerated until ready to serve.

Heat the olive oil in a medium sauté pan over high heat. Add the porcini mushrooms, chanterelle mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms and salt. Sauté mushrooms for 3 minutes, or just until the mushrooms are cooked through. Remove from heat and chill.

Remove ½ cup of the soup and reserve for foam garnish. Divide soup equally into 6 bowls. Foam the ½ cup soup with a hand blender – looking for foam similar to that for a cappuccino. Spoon an equal amount of the mushroom garnish and mushroom foam into the centres of each of the bowls. Garnish with chives. Serve chilled.