Cream of Mushroom Soup
Issue date:
November, 2009 Susan Ford, Publisher, Louisiana Cookin'
I had no taste at all for mushrooms until I was more than grown. We got to my friend Margi Levin's house for dinner one night and she started us off with a cream of mushroom soup. I was skeptical, it was delicious, and my love affair with mushrooms began. This recipe has evolved over the years, and has marked the start of many a feast around our dining table.
Servings:
12 to 14
- 4 - 5 ounces mixed dried mushrooms, as big a variety as you can find and afford
- 2 1/2 pounds (after cleaning and trimming) mixed fresh mushrooms, as big a variety as you can find and afford, cleaned and coarsely chopped
- 1 stick unsalted butter plus more as needed
- 2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, as needed
- 2 tablespoons garlic, minced
- 1 medium onion, chopped
- 1 1/2 teaspoons dried thyme
- Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste
- Cayenne pepper to taste
- 1/4 cup red wine
- 6 - 8 cups beef broth, homemade or good quality boxed
- 3 large egg yolks
- Half and half, as needed
Recipe photo:
Instructions:
Put dried mushrooms in a bowl deep enough to immerse all mushrooms, cover with hot water, top with a weighted plate and soak overnight. Carefully remove the mushrooms, leaving any grit behind. Squeeze moisture from mushrooms into soaking liquid, strain it through a very fine-meshed sieve and reserve. Mince rehydrated mushrooms and set aside.
Melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat and, working in batches, sauté fresh mushrooms until very soft. Remove cooked mushrooms to a bowl, adding more butter as necessary to the pan. Toss cooked mushrooms with 1 tablespoonfresh lemon juice, fold in reserved chopped rehydrated mushrooms, and set aside. Melt one tablespoon butter and sauté garlic and onion until soft, seasoning with thyme, salt, pepper, and cayenne. Add red wine and deglaze pan, then fold into mushroom mixture.
Working in batches, finely chop mushroom and onion mixture in bowl of food processor, adding beef broth as necessary. Transfer to large sauce pan over medium heat, add 1 cup reserved soaking liquid from wild mushrooms and beef broth to cover, and bring to a simmer. Cook over low heat for 45 minutes; taste and adjust seasonings. Whisk egg yolks with a few spoonfuls hot soup to temper and add to pot. Stir to incorporate, add half and half 1 tablespoon at a time until it reaches your idea of creamy perfection. Heat through but do not boil.
Serve in a warmed soup bowl.
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