Most families have a favorite dish that defines their holiday dinner. For the Kostyra family, it’s Polish mushroom soup. Martha’s mother makes this hearty soup with dried borowik mushrooms—a pungent Polish variety—dried shiitakes, and fresh button mushrooms. Store dried mushrooms in an airtight container to preserve their flavor; reconstitute them before using. You can substitute dried cèpes or porcini mushrooms for the borowick mushrooms.

Polish Mushroom Soup

Serves 8 to 12

5 to 6 ounces (about 4 to 6) dried mushrooms such as Polish borowik or cèpes

12 large dried shiitake mushrooms

3 quarts beef stock

5 medium ribs of celery, chopped

2 large onions, chopped

5 carrots, chopped

1 pound white button mushrooms, sliced

2 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped

2 tablespoons dill, finely chopped

1 tablespoon coarse salt

1 cup orzo

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

2 tablespoons flour

1 cup sour cream

Table salt and freshly ground black pepper

1. Rinse the dried mushrooms. Place mushrooms in 2 cups of cold water, and soak for at least 4 hours or overnight.

2. In a large pot, bring the stock to a simmer. Add the celery, onions, and carrots. Strain the dried mushrooms, reserving the soaking liquid. Add the strained soaking liquid to the soup. Chop the hydrated mushrooms into 1/4-inch pieces slightly larger than the diced vegetables, and add to the soup. Add the sliced white button mushrooms.

3. Cover, and cook the soup until the vegetables are tender, about an hour. Bring the soup to a boil. Stirring constantly, add the orzo. Reduce the heat to a gentle boil, and, stirring occasionally to prevent the pasta from sticking, cook until the orzo is cooked through, another 6 to 8 minutes.

4. Meanwhile melt the butter in a small saucepan over medium heat. Add the flour, and cook, stirring constantly until smooth, 3 to 5 minutes. Remove 1 cup of the broth from the soup, and add to the roux, whisking constantly until slightly thickened and free of lumps. Stir the thickened liquid into the soup. Add the chopped parsley and dill.

5. Finish the soup with sour cream: Add 1/4 cup of the thickened soup to the sour cream. Whisk until smooth. Add the sour cream to the soup, whisking constantly until it is well incorporated, about 3 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.

Martha Kostyra