This post is made in partnership with TINE.

Dotted along the mossy forest floor are treasures of tasty delectables, free to those who are lucky in their search and wanderings. One such treasure is the fragrant and golden chanterelle mushroom.

Chanterelles lend themselves perfectly to creamy dishes as they soften to a melt-in-your-mouth texture while cooking. It’s no wonder then that in late summer and early autumn, when chanterelles can be found throughout Norway, they begin pouring into the cuisine. Dishes like toasted bread with a generous scoop of buttery mushrooms on top, creamy barley risottos, wild meats and root vegetables and, of course, hearty and creamy soups and stews all get a lift when chanterelles are added to compliment with their sweet earthiness.

As the days are getting cooler, a warming dish is often the most comforting and I adore a good, simple mushroom soup with a silky broth.  Most wild stews (viltegryte) in Norway include a handful or so of wild mushrooms and it’s common to toss in a few slices of Norwegian brown cheese (Brunost) to add more richness and depth to the overall flavor. The addition of Brunost can turn a good stew into a great strew. To achieve this same depth of flavor, I turned to brown cheese for this creamy, wild mushroom soup featuring chanterelles.

Brunost is a magical pairing with wild edibles – perhaps this comes from the way the animals graze in the wild during the summer, giving the milk used to make brown cheese an extraordinary flavor. Perhaps it’s also because as the whey cooks down and caramelizes it intensifies the flavors, providing a slight sweetness and tang from the combination of goat’s and cow’s milk. All in all, adding brown cheese to this velvety soup elevates the dish in a way that will draw you straight to the mountains of Norway.

This soup is so simple to make and yet incredibly luxurious. I had a handful of cremini mushrooms on hand, so I added in a few as well. Feel free to use a variety of wild mushrooms or add in some cultivated ones if you’re low on the others. A loaf of crusty bread would be a great accompaniment.

Creamy Wild Mushroom and Brunost Soup

Serves 4 to 6

• 3 tablespoons butter
• 2 shallots, diced
• A few sprigs of fresh thyme or ½ teaspoon dried thyme
• 10 ½ ounces (300 g) chanterelles/wild mushrooms
• 4 ¼ cups (1 liter) stock
• 3 ½ ounces (100 g) Ski Queen®/Gudbrandsdalen, sliced or grated
• ¾ cup (180 ml) heavy cream
• Salt and pepper

---

In a large, heavy pot, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Toss in the diced shallots and thyme and cook for 2 minutes or until the shallots are soft and translucent. Add the chanterelles and sauté for 6 to 8 minutes or until the mushrooms start to brown and caramelize. Pour in the stock and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes or until slightly reduced. Add the Brunost and heavy cream, stir until combined, and cook 5 minutes longer until heated through. Season to taste with salt and pepper, garnish with fresh thyme, and serve.