Chestnut Wild Mushroom Soup with Horseradish Cream

This dish featured regularly on the Richter menu during winter 2005-06. This is a wonderful concoction of warm winter flavors, accented by a spicy hot chili and horseradish. The hazelnut oil gives the dish an additional flair.

Ingredients:
Soup:

1. 1 kg mixture of mushrooms (brown, porcini, portobello)
2. 150 gr of chestnuts (pre-cooked vacuum packed typically)
3. 8 sprigs of thyme
4. 3-4 garlic gloves
5. 1 red banana chili
6. 8 shallots
7. 4 tbsp olive oil
8. Maldon sea salt and fresh-ground pepper
9. 2 liters of vegetable or chicken broth (if using cubes, avoid the ones with MSG or too many additional spices in them)
10. 2 tblsp creme fraiche
11. hazelnut oil

Horseradish Cream:

1. 3 cm piece of horseradish or ready made horseradish (pure)
2. juice of 1 lemon
3. bunch of rocket-chopped
4. 150 gr marscapone
5. 1 tbsp creme fraiche
6. Maldon sea salt and fresh-ground pepper

Preparations:

Preheat oven to 220 C

Combine horseradish with lemon juice and rocket, then mix in creams. Chill in fridge til ready to use

Put mushrooms, chestnuts, thyme, garlic, chili, shallots in roasting pan, preferably non stick. Drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper. Roast a good 15 minutes, or until veggies start to turn a golden/brown color. This caramelization will make all the difference for the soup.

Blend til smooth, put in a pot, then stir in creme fraiche.

For lavish effect, pour soup into a big pitcher. Bring tray of smallish coffee cups to the table. Pour into cups from pitcher. Then add dollop of horseradish cream and drizzle of hazelnut oil before serving. Serve with small spoons. Tell your guests they aren't allowed to stir the cream into the soup but rather make sure they get some with every spoonful of soup.

(Courtesy of David Richter)