Food Wishes
Published Dec 30, 2009[NR: I kid you not, this is the best cream of mushroom soup I’ve ever tasted. And I made it!]
I can’t believe I haven’t posted a video recipe for cream of mushroom soup! It’s such a classic cool weather staple, and quite simple to make – as long as you have a few hours to spare. The secret to this deep rich potage is a long slow caramelization, the key to unlocking the mushroom’s magic. Oh, and by the way, I mean that literally. Mushrooms are by far the most mysterious and magical things we eat.
Scientists still don’t really understand how and why they grow like they do. While every other food you eat gets its energy from the sun, Agaricus bisporus, the common button mushroom, does not. Some believe mushrooms are powered by the moon, which I find fascinating to contemplate.
This is a very minimalist formula, and meant to transform the browned bits of fungus into pure earthy essence of mushroom. You can use whatever exotic mushrooms you can get a hold of, but it works quite well with the ubiquitous white button mushroom. Enjoy!
Ingredients
1/4 cup unsalted butter
2 pounds white or brown button mushrooms, sliced
1 yellow onion, diced
1 rounded tbsp flour (optional: omit for a gluten-free soup)
6 sprigs fresh thyme, tied into a bundle with kitchen string, plus some picked leaves to garnish
2 cloves garlic, peeled, left whole
4 cups chicken broth or stock
1 cup water
1 cup heavy cream
salt and fresh ground black pepper to tasteDirections
1. Put sliced mushrooms in a stock pot with the butter and cook on a medium high heat to caramelize (turn down the heat when the liquid evaporates). (Optional – reserve some of the mushroom slices to put on top of the finished soup.)
2. Add diced onions and stir to allow the onions to get translucent. (If adding flour add it after about 5 minutes and cook for about 2 more minutes to take the raw edge off the flour.)
3. Add the fresh thyme bundle, the uncrushed garlic cloves, the chicken stock, and a cup of water. Simmer on low for 1 hour.
4. Remove the thyme bundle and then either transfer small batches to a blender or use an immersion blender to carefully puree the soup.
5. Return to pot and stir in the cream. You can thin the soup with additional stock or broth if you prefer at this point.
6. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve in bowls with optional mushroom slices and some fresh thyme leaves if desired.
June 14, 2024
Chef John’s Cream of Mushroom Soup – Pure Liquid Moon-Soaked Earth
Comments Off on Chef John’s Cream of Mushroom Soup – Pure Liquid Moon-Soaked Earth
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