Soups
porcini mushroom soup
regional forest-cooking tradition
Porcini, Dzūkija, dried mushrooms, potatoes, sour cream, forest aroma
Porcini soup
What is baravykienė?
Baravykienė is a specific type of mushroom soup dominated by porcini. The name emphasizes not a general mushroom mixture, but one of the most valued forest mushrooms.
It is especially natural in the context of Dzūkija and mushroom-gathering culture, though it is cooked wherever good porcini are available.
Why Porcini?
The Universal Lithuanian Encyclopedia describes porcini as fleshy, commonly eaten mushrooms growing in forests and parks. In Lithuania, the common porcini and pine porcini are frequent, and both are considered valuable edible mushrooms.
That quality matters directly for baravykienė: the soup should not merely be 'with mushrooms' but should have a clear porcini aroma. For that reason dried porcini often work even more powerfully than a large amount of fresh mixed mushrooms.
Fresh and Dried Porcini
Fresh porcini give a seasonal, gentler flavor. Dried porcini are concentrated and suit winter cooking.
The soaking liquid from dried porcini has a lot of aroma, but it must be strained.
What Not to Overdo
Baravykienė should not be overwhelmed by strong spices or too much sour cream. The goal is to preserve the porcini fragrance.
If you want a more filling version, you can add groats, but then it moves away from a light porcini soup.
Recipe
How is baravykienė made?
Baravykienė does not need many spices: the porcini aroma should remain central. Dried porcini give an especially strong broth.
Ingredients
- 400 g fresh porcini or 35 g dried porcini
- 3 potatoes
- 1 onion
- 1 carrot
- 1.2 l water or light broth
- Butter or oil
- Sour cream, salt, pepper, dill
Method
- Soak dried porcini and strain the soaking liquid. Clean and slice fresh porcini.
- Fry the onion and carrot in butter or oil.
- Add the porcini, liquid, and potatoes. Cook until the potatoes are tender.
- Season with salt, pepper, dill, and sour cream.
Notes
If the porcini are very aromatic, it is better to avoid bay leaf or strong spices.
