Hungarian Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

• 1½ lb mushrooms, sliced
• 1 onion, diced
• 3 tbsp butter
• 2 tbsp sweet paprika
• 2 tbsp flour
• 4 cups stock
• ½ cup sour cream + 2 tbsp for swirling
• 3 tbsp fresh dill
• 2 tsp soy sauce (the umami cheat)
• Squeeze of lemon

Method

1. Brown the mushrooms in the butter until their liquid is gone and they're golden, 8 minutes; add the onion for 4 more.
2. Off the heat, stir in the paprika (it scorches over flame — Hungarian rule #1), then the flour, and cook gently 1 minute.
3. Add the stock and soy sauce gradually, whisking; simmer 10 minutes.
4. Temper the sour cream with a ladle of hot soup, then stir it back in with the dill. Never boil from here — sour cream holds grudges.
5. Finish with lemon, taste boldly, and serve with a sour-cream swirl and more dill. The soup that makes mushroom skeptics apply for citizenship.