Wild Mushroom Cappuccino
Umami × umami × umami × umami. Deep, earthy and intensely savoury, with a cloud of silky truffled foam on top. A small cup with an extraordinary amount to say.
I served this at Kennedy Space Center Visitor Complex, and it is the perfect make-ahead starter for a dinner party: the soup can be made days in advance, and the foam takes thirty seconds.
Why You Will Love This Wild Mushroom Cappuccino
Four layers of umami: fresh mushrooms, dried porcini, a Parmesan rind and a spoonful of miso
Café-style theatre: served in coffee cups with a frothy truffle ‘milk’ top
Make-ahead friendly: the soup keeps for 3 days and reheats perfectly
Small but mighty: a few sips is all you need before the main event
At a Glance
Serves 6 to 8 as a starter | Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 40 minutes
Why This Soup Works
Each of the four main ingredients brings its own kind of savouriness. Fresh mushrooms give body, dried porcini and their soaking liquid give a deep, almost meaty base, a Parmesan rind adds roundness as it simmers, and a spoonful of white miso pulls it all together. Stacked up, they make a soup that tastes far richer than its ingredients suggest.
The foam is simply warm milk with a few drops of truffle oil, whisked or frothed until light. It sits on top of the soup like the milk on a cappuccino, and a dusting of ground porcini finishes the illusion.
Wild Mushroom Cappuccino with Truffled Foam
Serves 6 to 8 as a starter | Prep: 20 minutes | Cook: 40 minutes
Ingredients
For the Soup
½ ounce (15 g) dried porcini mushrooms
2 cups boiling water
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 large shallots, finely chopped
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1½ pounds (680 g) mixed fresh mushrooms, such as cremini, shiitake and oyster, roughly chopped
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
¼ cup dry sherry or Madeira
3 cups chicken or vegetable stock
1 Parmigiano-Reggiano rind (about 2 inches)
1 tablespoon white miso
½ cup heavy cream
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
For the Truffled Foam
¾ cup whole milk
½ teaspoon truffle oil, or to taste
Pinch of kosher salt
To Finish
1 teaspoon dried porcini, ground to a powder
Instructions
Soak the Porcini
Pour the boiling water over the dried porcini and leave for 20 minutes. Lift out the mushrooms, squeeze them dry and chop. Pour the soaking liquid through a paper towel–lined sieve to catch any grit, and keep it.
Cook the Mushrooms
Melt the butter with the oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the shallots and cook until soft, about 5 minutes, then add the garlic for 1 minute.
Add the fresh mushrooms, chopped porcini and thyme with a good pinch of salt. Cook, stirring now and then, until the mushrooms release their liquid and it evaporates and they begin to brown, 12 to 15 minutes.
Pour in the sherry and let it bubble away almost completely.
Simmer
Add the stock, the strained porcini liquid and the Parmesan rind. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for 20 minutes.
Blend
Fish out the Parmesan rind. Stir in the miso and cream, then blend until completely smooth. Season with salt and pepper. If it is too thick, loosen with a splash of stock; it should coat a spoon but still pour easily.
Froth and Serve
Warm the milk with the truffle oil and salt until steaming but not boiling. Froth with a milk frother or whisk vigorously until light and foamy.
Ladle the hot soup into warmed coffee cups, spoon the foam on top, and dust with porcini powder.
Tips for Success
Go Easy on the Truffle
Truffle oil is strong. Start with a few drops and add more only if you need it.
Make It Ahead
Make the soup up to 3 days in advance and froth the milk just before serving.
Make It Vegetarian
Use vegetable stock and leave out the Parmesan rind, or use a vegetarian hard cheese rind.
What to Serve with Wild Mushroom Cappuccino
Crisp Tomato Focaccia
A glass of dry sherry
Before a main course such as Prime Rib Roast
How to Store
Fridge: Keep the soup covered for up to 3 days. Reheat gently and froth the milk fresh.
Freezer: Freeze the soup, without the foam, for up to 2 months.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is a mushroom cappuccino?
A smooth, rich mushroom soup served in a coffee cup and topped with frothy milk, so it looks like a cappuccino.
Can I make it without truffle oil?
Yes. Froth the milk on its own, or add a little grated Parmigiano-Reggiano for a savoury foam.
Which mushrooms are best?
A mix gives the deepest flavour. Cremini, shiitake and oyster mushrooms are easy to find; add chanterelles or other wild mushrooms if you can get them.
Can I make it ahead?
The soup keeps for 3 days in the fridge. Froth the milk just before serving.
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Recommended Equipment
Make this recipe easier with the right tools: Dutch Oven and Digital Scale.
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