Cream of Mushroom Soup – Recipe
If you find them on sale you can dry mushrooms for storage and then have them whenever you might want them in the future. Years ago the hubby bought me a big Excalibur dehydrator (affiliate link) and I love using it for various things when I have excess – particularly to make dehydrated tomatoes. They are wonderful to have around to add a punch of flavor to a soup or stew. But back to the mushrooms – I popped the caps in the dehydrator and I decided the stems would make a lovely soup for the hubby – he loves mushrooms.
I often don’t feel well due to my chronic headache so I like to have easy meals on hand that he can heat up for himself like soups. When the carrots come in I can carrot ginger soup. After beet harvest I make borscht. By utilizing the mushrooms stems I was able to freeze a couple of quarts of mushroom soup for him to have on hand for a little bit of variety.
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Cream of Mushroom Soup
Makes about 2 quarts
cleaned stems from 9 pint boxes of mushrooms (about 4 pints mushrooms)
water to cover
1 cup half and half
1 cup heavy cream
1 tsp olive oil
1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms
1 TBS dried sage
1/4 cup + 1 TBS brandy
1 TBS butter
1/4 cup flour
salt and pepper
- Place the mushroom stems in a large, heavy bottomed, non-reactive pot over med-high heat. Cover with water and add a good sprinkling of salt.
- Bring the water to a boil and reduce to a simmer. Let the stems cook for about an hour until they soften a bit.
- Using an immersion blender reduce the stems to a smooth puree. If you do not have an immersion blender carefully transfer the stems with some of their liquid, in batches, to a blender and puree until smooth. Return to the pot.
- Add the sage, the heavy cream and the half and half.
- Bring the soup just to a boil but do not boil.
- Adjust the seasoning with salt and pepper.
- Reduce the heat to low.
- Add the olive oil to a small saute pan.
- When hot add the sliced mushrooms. Cook until they start to wilt.
- Add the tablespoon of brandy and flame it if you are comfortable or just let it cook off.
- When the mushrooms are fully wilted and the brandy is gone add them to the soup.
- Add the rest of the brandy to the soup and let it heat through for several minutes so the alcohol cooks out.
- Mix the butter and flour until it forms a paste.
- Whisk it in bit by bit until the soup thickens.
- Cook the soup for about five more minutes and it will be ready to serve.
How Was the Cream of Mushroom Soup?
I chopped some of the dried mushrooms to sprinkle on top but a bit of fresh parsley would have also done nicely. I’ll serve this to him with some corn muffins. He’ll like that. It had a strong mushroom flavor and the sage and brandy were perfect accents. Yes, I did taste test it even though I despise mushrooms. The sacrifices one makes for one’s art. Hahaha.
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I must admit that I do like having soup for dinner. There is just something very satisfying about a lovely bowl of oh – Tomato Soup with Garlic Shrimp or Seafood Bisque. Especially as the colder months approach. Plus, it’s just easy once it’s made. Add a homemade biscuit or slice of bread and dinner is served.
