A cool weather bowl loaded with thickly sliced mushrooms, sweet Hungarian paprika, and a good handful of fresh dill. A ripe tomato and half a Hungarian wax pepper simmer in and then come out, leaving behind a rounder, brighter flavor. Like most good soups, it tastes even better the next day.

Ingredients

2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups onions, chopped
1 1/2 pounds fresh mushrooms, thickly sliced
4 1/2 teaspoons fresh dill, chopped
1 tablespoon Hungarian sweet paprika
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 cups low-sodium chicken broth
1 cup skim milk
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1/2 ripe tomato
1/2 Hungarian wax pepper
1 teaspoon salt
Ground black pepper to taste
1/2 cup light sour cream

Directions

Melt the butter in a large pot over medium heat. Add the onions and cook, stirring, about 5 minutes until fragrant and softening.
Add the mushrooms and cook about 5 minutes more until tender.
Stir in the dill, paprika, and soy sauce.
Pour in the chicken broth, reduce the heat to low, cover, and simmer 15 minutes.
Whisk the milk and flour together until smooth and stir into the soup, then add the half tomato and half Hungarian wax pepper.
Cover and simmer another 15 minutes, stirring now and then.
Season with salt and black pepper. Stir in the sour cream and cook, stirring often, 5 to 10 minutes until thickened.
Fish out and discard the tomato and wax pepper, then serve hot with multi grain bread and a little extra dill.

Use a ripe tomato for the best flavor, and if you cannot find a Hungarian wax pepper, use a smaller piece of another mild chile. Leftovers keep in the fridge for up to 3 days.

Grower's tip: fresh dill makes this soup, and it bolts fast in summer heat. Sow a short row every few weeks so you always have soft, feathery leaves to cut, and let one plant flower at the end of the season to reseed itself for next year.

You can grow most of what flavors this pot. Start a row of onions, some feathery dill, and a tomato plant or two for the fresh half you stir in.

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