Cream of Mushroom Soup
- At October 16, 2012
- By Lori
- In Soups
0
I’ve found that mushrooms are very much a “love ‘em or leave ‘em” food. It’s not often I come across someone who is on the fence about the fungi. Those who don’t prefer ‘shrooms usually say it’s because of the texture, not the taste. So for those mushroom-lovers, like myself, and for those that don’t like consistency, you’ll surely enjoy this Cream of Mushroom soup which show cases a few different varieties, in pureed form. Make no mistake, it’s ALL mushrooms, so mushroom-haters need not try. The fresh sage and rosemary infuse the earthy flavor of the mushrooms, making it a robust and comforting bowl of goodness. Serve the soup with a big chunk of crusty bread for maximum enjoyment.
What You Need
- 1 ounce dried mushrooms (porcini, morels, or shitakes)
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 2 sprigs of rosemary
- 4 sprigs of sage
- 1 large yellow onion, peeled and thinly sliced
- 3 garlic cloves, peeled and thinly sliced
- 2 teaspoons salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground white pepper
- 1 pound white button mushrooms, cleaned and thinly sliced
- 1 pound shitake mushrooms stemmed, cleaned and thinly sliced
- 4 cups chicken stock
- 2 cups beef stock
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
What To Do
- Soak the dry mushrooms in 1 cup of warm water for 20 to 30 minutes, until plump.
- Strain the soaking liquid through a coffee filter to remove grit and reserve, along with the reconstituted mushrooms, until needed.
- Heat the olive oil in a large pot over a medium flame. Bundle the rosemary and sage together and tie with kitchen twine. When the oil is hot, add the herb bundle and sizzle for a few minutes on both sides to infuse the oil.
- Add the onion, garlic, salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes, until the onion is soft and translucent but not brown.
- Turn the flame to high and add the white mushrooms and shitakes.
- Cook for 10 minutes, during which the mushrooms will give off their liquid (which should evaporate quickly due to the high heat) and deflate significantly. Stir occasionally.
- Add the chicken stock, beef stock, and the dried mushrooms along with the soaking water.
- Simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the herbs, then add the cream and butter. Working in batches, puree the soup in a blender until smooth. Return to the pot and keep at a very low simmer until ready to serve.
