Cream of Mushroom Soup               

 tags (edit): Winter @Try Soon! @Vogel Soup  

 

So-called exotic varieties of mushrooms, such as cremini and oyster, work well in this soup, as do regular white mushrooms. Use a combination or a single variety, depending on your taste and what's available. You may also opt to season the soup with a touch of sherry, instead of lemon juice. For an extra special presentation, ladle the soup into ovenproof bowls. Top the bowls with puff pastry cut to fit the bowls, seal the edges with some beaten egg, and bake until golden, according to package directions.

Ingredients

7 tablespoons Unsalted butter divided
8 cups Mushrooms chopped (about 1 1/4 pounds)
2 stalks Celery finely chopped (about 1 cup)
1 each Leek white part only, thinly sliced (about 1 1/4 cups)
1/2 cup All purpose flour
5 cups Chicken broth (see CHICKEN BROTH -- CIA, in this collection)
1 sprig Fresh thyme
1 cup Mushrooms sliced (about 2 1/2 ounces)
1 1/2 cups Heavy cream heated
to taste Fresh lemon juice (see NOTE)
to taste Salt
to taste Freshly ground white pepper


 

Instructions
 Melt 6 tablespoons of the butter in a soup pot over medium heat. Add the chopped mushrooms, celery, and leek. Cook, stirring frequently, until softened, 6-8 minutes.

Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly, 3-4 minutes.

Whisk in the broth gradually. Add the thyme sprig, bring to a simmer, and cook, 30 minutes.

Meanwhile, melt the remaining 1 tablespoon of butter in a skillet. Add the sliced mushrooms and saute until cooked through, about 5 minutes. Remove from the heat.

Remove the thyme and discard. Puree the soup, then strain through cheese cloth or a fine sieve. Return the soup to the soup pot and place over low heat. Add the heavy cream and season with the lemon juice (or sherry), salt, and white pepper. Heat the soup, but do not let it boil.

Serve in heated bowls, garnished with the cooked, sliced mushrooms.

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Yields: 8 Servings
     CIA BOOK OF SOUPS, page 95

 notes:  Substitute sherry instead of lemon juice.

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