This soup is for all you mushroom hating mutants out there!
Say good morning to Mr. Crimini.
Our fungus-y friend from the forest floor is packed with antioxidants to delay aging, and B vitamins for enhanced immunity.
And he is delicious!
Start with a chopped red onion and two cloves of fresh garlic in butter in a thick bottomed pot over low heat.
While the onion softens toss in a few sprigs of thyme and stir around. Don’t let it burn.
Now set the onion aside in a small bowl, toss the mushrooms into the pot and get two liters of homemade chicken stock ready.
Add a bit of salt and fresh ground pepper, too.
When the mushrooms have cooked down to about half their original volume, pull out half to a separate bowl. Add the chicken stock to the pot and return the onions to the mix.
Let that simmer while you pick out floating thyme twigs, then put small batches into your new Christmas blender.
The mixture will thicken and turn pale as the onion and mushrooms and stock spin together to make a rich and flavorful slurry.
Return it all to the pot, add that bowl of mushrooms you set aside and then turn the heat down to a whisper and let it bubble gently, reducing to about one-third less than the original volume.
You’re almost there!
At this point the soup is too thick and the flavor too intense.
Perfect.
Take it off and let it cool until it’s just warm, then stir in half and half or heavy cream.
To the two liters of chicken stock I added about a third of a quart of half and half. Taste and thin to your preference until the mushroom/onion, salt and pepper all come into balance.
Return it to low heat, simmer for a few minutes more and that’s it, it’s ready to serve. It’s important to let the slurry cool or the added cream might curdle.
I think cream of mushroom soup is perfect with a salad, a candle and wine for a light winter supper.
(Image removed by request of the creator/copyright holder.)
(Image removed by request of the creator/copyright holder.)
This does not leave mushroom for debate.
