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Cream of Mushroom Soup with Just Cream & Mushrooms

Source of Recipe

From "Food 52 Big Little Recipes" by Emma Laperruque


Recipe Introduction

"Beyond the two namesake ingredients, most cream of mushroom soup recipes call for other vegetables (like onions, shallots, and celery), fresh or dried herbs (like thyme, tarragon, and bay leaves), stock or broth, red or white wine, and sometimes a thickener (like flour or cornstarch). We don't need any of that. Fresh baby bella (aka cremini) mushrooms have a meaty—even beefy—flavor and modest price. And dried shiitakes effortlessly transmogrify water before getting blended into oblivion. After you pour the cream into the sautéing mushrooms, be sure to really scrape the bottom of the pot. Those stuck, crusty bits are half the reason the ingredient list is so small. Pair with a vinegary salad or warm bread or both."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 9 whole dried shiitakes
â—¦ 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
â—¦ 1 ½ pounds baby bella mushrooms, thinly sliced
â—¦ Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
â—¦ 1 cup heavy cream, plus more for drizzling


Recipe

Combine 3 cups water and the shiitakes in a pot and set over high heat. Bring to a boil, cook for 5 minutes, then turn off the heat.

Add the butter to a wide, high-sided saucepan and set over medium heat. Once the butter melts, add the baby bellas. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 15 to 20 minutes, until they are sticking to the bottom and deeply browning. (At first they'll release a lot of liquid, but it'll evaporate.)

Season the baby bellas with 1 teaspoon salt and ½ teaspoon pepper and stir. Remove ½ cup and set aside on a plate. (These will become our garnish.) Now add the cream to the saucepan and scrape up the browned bits on the bottom. Simmer for a few minutes until the cream slightly thickens and turns the color of chocolate milk.

Add the creamy mushroom mixture to a blender, along with the shiitakes and their water (pour slowly so you don't include the grit at the bottom). With the keyhole of the blender lid open and a kitchen towel pressed on top, blend until smooth. Taste and adjust the seasoning as needed. If you'd like the soup to be thinner, just add a splash of water or cream.

Serve the soup with the browned mushrooms sprinkled on top, plus a drizzle of cream if you want.

Serves 2 to 3