Zupa Grzybowa (Polish Christmas Eve Mushroom Soup)

• 40 g Mushrooms, dried forest mushrooms
• 1.5 liters Vegetable stock, good-quality
• 1 medium Yellow onion
• 1 medium Carrot
• 2 pieces Celery, sticks
• 2 pieces Bay leaves
• 6 pieces Allspice berries
• 12 pieces Black peppercorns
• 1 tsp Fine sea salt, plus more to taste
• 200 g Egg noodles
• 30 g Unsalted butter

1. Put the dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with 500 ml of the vegetable stock. Leave to soak for 20 minutes, then lift out the mushrooms and set aside; keep the soaking liquid.
2. Meanwhile, peel the onion and carrot, then cut them into large chunks; cut the celery into large pieces. Add the vegetables to a stockpot with the remaining vegetable stock, bay leaves, allspice berries, black peppercorns, and fine sea salt.
3. Bring to a gentle simmer, then add the soaked mushrooms and the reserved soaking liquid, pouring it in slowly and leaving any grit behind. Simmer gently for 25 minutes until the broth is aromatic and the mushrooms are tender.
4. Strain the soup through a sieve into a clean pot, pressing lightly on the mushrooms to extract flavour. Return the mushrooms to the broth and discard the vegetables and spices.
5. Cook the egg noodles in a saucepan of the strained soup at a gentle boil for 6 to 8 minutes, or until tender. Stir in the unsalted butter off the heat until melted, then taste and adjust with a little more fine sea salt if needed.
6. Ladle into bowls, making sure each serving gets some mushrooms and noodles. Serve hot.

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