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Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup

Source of Recipe

From "Goldy's Kitchen Cookbook" by Diane Mott Davidson


Recipe Introduction

"This is one of our family's favorite soups. It combines the complex flavors of wild and fresh mushrooms. Homemade chicken stock makes it sing, and the cream and sherry make it fancy."

List of Ingredients

â—¦ 1 ounce dried wild mushrooms (porcini, cremini, morels, or a mixture)
â—¦ 2 ½ cups spring water
â—¦ 8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, plus an additional 2 tablespoons, if needed
â—¦ 1 shallot, peeled and finely diced
â—¦ 8 ounces fresh button mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, patted dry, and finely diced
â—¦ 7 tablespoons all-purpose flour
â—¦ 4 cups (1 quart) homemade chicken stock
â—¦ 2 cups heavy (whipping) cream
â—¦ ¼ cup dry sherry
â—¦ Sea salt or kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper


Recipe

Place the dried mushrooms in a large heatproof bowl. Bring the water to a boil and pour it over the dried mushrooms. Allow to sit for 30 minutes. Remove the reconstituted mushrooms with a slotted spoon. Remove the stems and discard. Pat the mushrooms dry, finely chop, and set aside. Strain the mushroom soaking liquid through dampened cheesecloth or a sieve lined with paper coffee filter into a bowl. You should have about 2 cups of mushroom liquid. Set aside.

In a stockpot, melt the 8 tablespoons butter over low heat. Add the shallots and fresh mushrooms and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 10 minutes. Increase the heat to medium, sprinkle in the flour, and stir constantly until the mixture bubbles and the flour is cooked, about 3 minutes. (If the mixture is completely dry, add up to 2 extra tablespoons of butter. Stir the mixture until the butter is completely melted, then stir and cook until the flour is cooked.)

Add the chicken stock and reserved mushroom liquid, increase the heat to medium-high, and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and bubbles. Reduce the heat and add the chopped wild mushrooms, the cream, sherry, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring frequently, for another 15 minutes, to blend the flavors. Remove from the heat to cool slightly.

Working in batches, purée the soup in a blender.
Place the puréed batches into a large heatproof bowl. When the soup is completely puréed, pour it back into the stockpot, taste, and correct the seasoning. Bring the soup back to a simmer and serve.

Makes 6 to 8 servings