Tuesday, November 24, 2009

Mushroom Soup

I've been in a cooking mood. Peanut butter cookies, banana nut bread, bean soup and corn muffins, and today mushroom soup. Yesterday when I was in the mercado they had a box of really fresh white mushrooms and the idea just popped in my head that I'd make mushroom soup. I've never made it before and I didn't have a recipe but I figured that a pound or so of mushrooms would make a nice lunch.

This morning I went to the Fine Cooking Magazine website and looked at recipes but I didn't have all of the ingredients for any mushroom soup that they had so what the heck. Soup is soup. I thought I could figure out something. Here is my recipe, mas or menos.

3 tablespoon of butter
3 tablespoons of olive oil
1 large leek quartered lengthwise and sliced thin (about 2 cups)
6 cloves of garlic, minced
1.25 pounds of mushrooms, wiped clean, and sliced thin (about 6 cups of sliced mushrooms) I'd try a variety of mushrooms if I had them.
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
3 tablespoons of fresh thyme leaves
5 cups of boxed chicken broth or homemade
4 tablespoons of crema or 1/4 cup whipping cream
1/4 cup white wine (might be better with dry sherry if you have it on hand)
1-1/2 tablespoons soy sauce

Melt butter and olive oil in stockpot over medium-high heat. Add leek and cook about 2-4 minutes until it is soft and starting to brown a bit. Stir in garlic and cook for about 1 minute. Add mushrooms and thyme and 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Cook about 3-4 minutes until the mushrooms are limp.

Add the broth and bring to a boil over high heat then reduce the heat to maintain a simmer. Cook about 5 to 10 minutes until the mushrooms are tender. Let cool slightly then put about 1/2 to 2/3 of the soup in a blender and blend until smooth. Transfer back to the stock pot. Add crema or whipping cream, wine or sherry and soy sauce. Taste and add more salt or pepper if needed. At this point I added a sprinkle of cayenne pepper just because we like a kick of heat in soup. Bring to low simmer for a minute or two to let the flavors blend. Put in bowls and sprinkle with just a few thyme leaves or maybe some chopped chives.

6 comments:

jennifer rose said...

Billie! I'm shocked beyond belief that mushroom soup wasn't in your cooking repertoire.

Mushroom soup, in some variation, is practically a staple around my house, although it's seldom made the same way twice. Maybe some finely chopped celery, trocitos of carrot, a handful of barley or even a few already-cooked white beans. Maizena or arrowroot can thicken it slightly. And it freezes very well.

Sam and Bob said...

It looks yummy. How was it?

Tonight for dinner we had a rack of lamb that we cut into lollipops. We marinated them with garlic, olive oil, fresh thyme, rosemary, salt and pepper. We cooked them on a hot grill. They were so good. By the way, we got them at Costco today. Does the QTO Costco sell them?

Babs said...

I'm knocking on your door for peanut butter cookies and bean soup. Sounds wonderful.......

Bob Mrotek said...

What a coincidence Billie! You are in a soup making mood and I am in a soup eating mood. That mushroom soup looks good. If it weren't for the difference in color it would remind me of my favorite soup...split pea soup with a ham bone and a chunk of pumpernickel bread. Hmmmm....

The Mock Turtle's Lament
(Lewis Carrol)

Beautiful soup, so rich and green,
Waiting in a hot tureen!
Who for such dainties would not stoop?
Soup of the evening, beautiful soup!
Soup of the evening, beautiful soup!
Beautiful soup! Beeyou-tiful soup!
Soup of the evening, beautiful soup!
Beautiful soup! Who cares for fish,
Game, or any other dish?
Who would not give all else for two
pennyworth only of beautiful soup?
Beautiful soup! Beeyou-tiful soup!
Soup of the evening, beautiful soup!

Billie Mercer said...

Bob,
We are the perfect match. I'll cook it and you'll eat it.

Babs, I'm afraid you are too late. The peanut butter cookies are down to the burned ones. I always seem to overcook at least one or more cookie sheets and the leftover soup is frozen just waiting until some night when I don't want to cook.

Sam and Bob, love lamb chops and you can get them at Costco but they really do cost an arm and a leg. Sometime in the Spring I'll see some New Zealand lamb at Costco in QTO and while more than Houston I could at least think about buying a rack.

Jennifer, it is shocking isn't it. I can't believe that I haven't made mushroom soup before. Thanks for the variation ideas.

Dotye said...

Hi Billie,
If I hadn't already bought the "stuff" for my cajun shrimp corn chowder, I would try your mushroom soup. Mom and I are going to Betty's Thursday afternoon and my contribution is the chowder. Can't wait to try your soup for my ladies at the church. Hugs and kisses to Ned and you...have a blessed and happy Turkey Day! dotye