Wild Mushroom Chowder with Bacon and Leeks With Herb Butter Croissants And Beet Kale Salad

With COVID-19 sending us indoors for more hours than we’re used to, many of us are trying to figure out what exactly to do with our time at home. Instead of getting lost in the sea of scary news and social media posts, why not turn out attention to learning something new to sharpen our skills, expand our horizons, or simply to fulfill an interest we’ve never had time to pursue?

The world will start spinning again soon. And when that happens, might as well come out the other side with a new hobby or skill set that you’ve always wanted to have in your back pocket.

I have been cooking up a storm lately! I mean I always love cooking but I have been able to photograph and blog more recipes for y’all these days! So I sure hope you find them helpful and delicious!!!!!!!!

Wild Mushroom Chowder with Bacon and Leeks RECIPE

Potatoes, bacon, leeks, and mushrooms are sautéed in a bath of butter and herbs for a hearty chowder recipe that is like a hug in a bowl.

Comfort Food, Upgraded.

Sophisticated ingredients deserve the royal treatment, and wild mushrooms fall in to that category for sure. If you foraged your own, you worked really hard for every last one of these golden mushrooms, and if you bought them at the store, you surely paid a premium. But don’t stress about it—just enjoy your spoils! And if you decide to make this soup, trust that you’re doing the very best by those precious fungi that you possibly could. Here’s everything you’ll need to make this cozy, elegant mushroom chowder:

• 4-6 Strips of thick bacon, sliced into 1/4 inch strips

• 2 tbsp Butter

• 1 cup Leeks, white and light green parts, thinly sliced

• 1/2 cup Celery, finely chopped

• 8 oz Chanterelles (or other mushrooms) roughly chopped

• 1 tsp Fresh thyme

• 1 Bay leaf

• 1 tbsp Flour (optional)

• 3/4 cup Dry white wine

• 4 cups Chicken stock

• 1 tsp Sea salt

• 1/4 tsp Freshly ground black pepper

• 1/4 tsp Nutmeg

• 1/4 tsp Cayenne pepper

• 1 lb Baby yukon gold potatoes, cut in half

• 1 cup Cream

• 1 tbsp Raw honey

• 1 tbsp Fresh squeezed lemon juice

How to Make Wild Mushroom Soup

This mushroom soup requires only one pot so you don’t need to wash any extra dishes. If you can’t find the mushrooms I used at your local market, use any wild mushrooms that you can find at the store—morels or lobster mushrooms would be delicious!

1. Pop and sizzle! Fry the bacon in a Dutch oven until crispy.

2. Toss in your foraged mushrooms and herbs into the same pot until they smell deliciously fragrant and are slightly darkened around the edges.

3. Thicken the chowder base with a dusting of flour.

4. Deglaze with white wine, scraping the bottom of the pot to ensure you get all the good bits. Next comes chicken broth, potatoes, and spices.

5. Simmer.

6. Pour in the cream and a squeeze of honey. Cook on low until as you stir in the cream, and finish with a squeeze of lemon.

   Fresh Herb Butter RECIPE

   Herb butter tastes like a luxury but is so easy to make and use that it could become an everyday staple. Simply melt and drizzle it over seafood or cooked vegetables for an instant sauce. Or, place a slice on top of a sizzling steak and watch it melt, infusing the flavors of the herbs into the meat. You can also spread softened herb butter onto delicious croissants.

   Herb butter can be part of elegant party fare or it can be an easy way to perk up a weeknight dinner.

   Ingredients

   1/2 cup (1 stick) butter

   1 to 3 teaspoons finely chopped fresh herbs

   Optional: lemon zest to taste

   Optional: salt to taste

   STEPS to Make It

   1. Gather the ingredients.

   2. Leave the butter out at room temperature until it softens.

   3. Mince the fresh herbs and grate the lemon zest, if using.

   4. Put the softened butter in a bowl. Add the herb and zest and using a fork, mash it all together until thoroughly combined.

   5. Add salt to taste if you started with unsalted butter.

   6. Scoop the herb butter onto a piece of waxed paper or parchment paper.

   7. Shape it into a log or ball by rolling it in the paper. Wrap the herb butter tightly and refrigerate.

   8. Slice off portions to use on steak, seafood, vegetables, or bread and enjoy.

   Storing and Freezing

   Herb butter will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 months. You can freeze the herb butter to store for longer. Put the wax or parchment paper-wrapped herb butter into a freezer bag and freeze for up to six months. The herb butter will still be safe to eat after that, but the quality will decline significantly. Transfer the frozen herb butter to the refrigerator 24 hours before you intend to use it.

   (will include a croissant recipe soon)

   Beet and Kale Salad with Goat Cheese RECIPE

   Ingredients

   • 2 bunches baby red beets, scrubbed (8 total; greens reserved for another use)

   • 2 bunches baby beets, scrubbed (8 total; greens reserved for another use)

   • Coarse salt and freshly ground pepper

   • 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

   • 1 tablespoon red-wine vinegar

   • 1 bunch kale, trimmed and torn into pieces (7 cups)

   • 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

   • 4 ounces mild goat cheese

     Directions

     • Step 1

       Place beets in a large pot, and cover with water. Add enough salt so that the water tastes like the ocean, about 2 tablespoons. Cover, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, and simmer until skins slip easily off beets, about 15 minutes. Drain. When cool enough to handle, peel beets. Cut red beets into quarters lengthwise and Chioggias into 1/2-inch rounds. Combine beets, 2 tablespoons oil, and the vinegar, and gently toss.

     • Step 2

       Place kale in a large bowl, and bruise very roughly with hands. Add 1 tablespoon oil, season with salt and pepper, and massage into leaves 1 minute. Add lemon juice, and toss.

     • Step 3

       To serve, make a bed of kale on a platter, and scatter beets on top. Crumble goat cheese into chunks, and scatter over salad. Season with pepper.

       ENJOY!!!