No. 111 — Fresh Mushroom Purée Soup
Complete English translation of recipe No. 111 in Elena Molokhovets’ 1901 Russian cookbook, preserving the historical preparation, quantities and sources.
Prepare broth in the usual manner and strain. Take a full deep plate of any fresh mushrooms except volnushki, clean and wash thoroughly in several changes of cold water, cut up and simmer in a stoneware saucepan with one spoonful of butter until tender.
Sprinkle in one spoonful of flour and salt lightly. If desired, add an onion fried in butter. Stir, dilute with broth and simmer until the mushrooms are soft, then strain and rub through a sieve.
Mix two yolks with ½ glass of cream, dilute with a glass of stock and strain into the broth. Season, heat while stirring until very hot, and sprinkle with finely crushed black pepper to serve.
To provide
3 Russian pounds of beef; 10–15 allspice berries and 1–2 bay leaves One deep plate of cleaned fresh mushrooms 1 onion and 1 spoonful of butter | 1 spoonful of flour 2 egg yolks and ½ glass of cream; black pepper |