Mushroom Soup

I am not a huge soup fan. However, there is something very appealing about a warm soup simmering on the stove on a cold day.  Today, I just had to make mushroom soup. I love the earthy flavor of mushrooms in a creamy soup. I am going to pair it with some toasted bread and a parmesan roasted tomatoes for a vegetarian dinner. Nothing spectacular, but after the heaviness of the holidays, a welcome change. I made a mushroom stock from the stems of the mushrooms and carrots, celery, onion and the dark ends of the leeks. It isn't a necessary step. Chicken or vegetable broth would work just as well. Remember that leeks are masters of holding dirt and grit, so wash them thoroughly. No sense in going through all of this effort to produce a bowl of sandy grit!  Here is the recipe that I used.

Mushroom Soup

1 lb. assorted mushrooms, sliced. (I used crimini, shiitake and Portobello)
2 cups chopped leeks (white and light green parts only)
1 Tbl. chopped thyme
6 Tbl. olive oil, divided
1/4 cup flour
1 cup dry sherry
4 cups mushroom, vegetable or chicken stock
1/3 cup cream, half and half or fat free half and half
Salt and pepper to taste
1/4 cup chopped parsley
drizzle of truffle oil (optional)

Sauté leeks in 2 Tbl of the olive oil over medium high heat until soft and slightly translucent.

 Add mushrooms and thyme, continue to cook until the mushrooms are cooked through.

Salt and pepper the mushroom leek mixture to taste. add in the remaining 4 Tbl of olive oil and the flour. Stir until the flour has cooked for a couple of minutes in the pan (with the mushroom mixture). Add in the sherry. Continue cooking and stirring until the flour and sherry have formed a thick paste. Add the stock and stir until you get an even consistency with the soup.

 

 

For a thicker soup, ladle out about 2 cups of the soup into a blender or an immersion blender. Blend well and incorporate back into the soup.

Finish soup with 1/3 cup of cream or half and half and the parsley (lends some bright notes to such a rich soup). To really gild the lily, add 8 or 9 drops of truffle oil at the end. Be careful to not overdo the truffle, it is delicious, but potent stuff.