Roasted Mushroom And Gorgonzola Soup
At our cosy Tasting Room this season, our Winter Tasting includes this comfortingly creamy soup, paired with the Ideology Rhône-style red blend.
Prep time: 10-20 minutes; cooking time: 30 minutes.
Ingredients: (serves 8)
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 100g salted butter
• 8 shallots finely chopped
• 6 garlic cloves peeled and chopped
• 500g portobellini mushrooms cut into quarters
• 500g large brown mushrooms sliced
• 500g button mushrooms quartered
• 3 teaspoons of finely chopped thyme
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped rosemary
• 50g dried mushrooms – soaked in 500ml of boiling water
• 2 Litres of chicken stock or vegetable stock
• Salt and freshly ground white pepper
• 500ml cream
• 150g gorgonzola
• Freshly chopped chives to taste
Method:
Heat the butter and olive oil in a large heavy based pot and fry the shallots over low heat until soft and translucent, but not browned. Add the garlic, thyme and rosemary and stir through. Add the mushrooms and fry gently till golden. Add the dried mushrooms with liquid and deglaze the pot.
Pour in the stock and season with salt and pepper. Simmer until the mushrooms are very tender, this should take about 10 – 15 minutes.
Remove from the heat and leave to cool for a few minutes and with a stick blender or food processor, blend until smooth. Pour the soup back into the pot and add the cream and gorgonzola cheese. Bring to a simmer and check seasoning.
Serve with a sprinkling of freshly chopped chives and a glass of the Spier Ideology Rhône-style red blend.
About the wine: Spier Ideology Rhône-style red blend
This medium-bodied red blend offers aromas of delicate of pomegranate, Turkish delight, cinnamon and liquorish. On the palate, there’s full taste of mulberries, subtle white pepper and coriander, laced with fine tannins and fresh acidity for balance.
About the Spier Winter Tasting:
Three hearty pairings form Spier’s Winter Tasting. 21 Gables Chenin Blanc is matched with a smoked chicken and coriander broth, the Ideology Rhône-style blend is twinned with a slow-roasted mushroom and Gorgonzola soup, and the Private Collection Cabernet Sauvignon is paired with a slow-cooked springbok shank and barley soup. Available at our Tasting Room until 31 August for R95.