Chef's Recipes

Brigitte Hafner: Porcini, tomato and bread soup

Australian Gourmet Traveller recipe for Brigitte Hafner's porcini, tomato and bread soup.

By Brigitte Hafner
  • 15 mins preparation
  • 1 hr cooking plus soaking, standing
  • Serves 4
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Brigitte Hafner: Porcini, tomato and bread soup
“This is a beautiful thick soup that’s quite rustic but full of flavour. I like to use day-old ciabatta or sourdough and the best extra-virgin olive oil to give it a lift.”

Ingredients

  • 40 gm dried porcini
  • 60 ml (¼ cup) extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra to serve
  • 1½ onions, finely chopped
  • 4 inner celery stalks and leaves, finely chopped
  • 2 carrots, finely chopped
  • 1 rosemary sprig, plus extra to serve
  • 1 garlic clove, thinly sliced
  • 800 gm canned whole peeled Italian tomatoes
  • 1 litre (4 cups) chicken stock
  • 120 gm stale ciabatta or crusty white bread (about ½ loaf), cut into large pieces

Method

Main
  • 1
    Combine porcini and 300ml warm water in a bowl, set aside until tender (30 minutes).
  • 2
    Heat olive oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add onion and stir occasionally until very soft (8-10 minutes). Add celery, carrot, rosemary and garlic and stir occasionally until celery softens and turns pale golden (6-8 minutes). Add tomato, break up with a wooden spoon, then add stock, porcini and soaking liquid, season to taste and simmer until porcini are tender and soup is thick and rich (40-45 minutes). Add bread, stand for 10 minutes, then serve drizzled with olive oil and a scattering of extra rosemary.

Notes

This recipe is from the August 2009 issue of .

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