CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP RECIPE IDEAS RECIPES

Steps:

• 1. Brush the mushrooms clean, then finely slice.
  2. Peel and finely slice the onion, celery and garlic, then pick the parsley, finely chopping the stalks. Pick the thyme leaves.
  3. Heat a splash of olive oil in a large saucepan over a medium heat, add the onion, celery, garlic, parsley stalks, thyme leaves and mushrooms, pop the lid on and cook gently until softened.
  4. Spoon out 4 tablespoons of mushrooms, and keep for later.
  5. Pour the stock into the pan and bring to the boil over a medium heat, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 15 minutes.
  6. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper, then whiz with a stick blender until smooth.
  7. Pour in the cream, bring just back to the boil, then turn off the heat.
  8. Toast the ciabatta on a hot griddle pan, then top with most of the reserved mushrooms and drizzle lightly with extra virgin olive oil.
  9. Spoon the soup into bowls, garnish with the chopped parsley and remaining mushrooms, and serve with the ciabatta crostini on the side.

Steps:

• Heat 2 tablespoons butter in a pot over medium-high heat. When melted, add 1/3 of the mushrooms. Cook them until dark golden brown, stirring occasionally, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper, then remove them from the pot and set them aside.In the same pot, melt the remaining 2 tablespoons butter. Reduce the heat to medium and add the rest of the mushrooms, along with the onion, celery, and thyme. Cook, stirring frequently, until vegetables are soft, about 5 to 6 minutes. Sprinkle the vegetables with the flour and stir to combine. Season with salt and pepper and stir constantly for 3 minutes, allowing the flour to cook. Slowly add the wine or sherry, stirring while you add. Allow it to heat and bubble up for a couple of minutes, then slowly pour in the stock. Keep stirring to reduce the likelihood of lumps.Bring to a simmer and cook for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove it from the heat and let it cool for 20 minutes. Transfer to a blender (make sure it is just warm or cool at this stage---blending hot soup is dangerous!) and puree until mushrooms are mostly broken up into small barley-sized bits. (NOTE: You may use an immersion blender in the pot if you have one, and you don't have to let the soup cool first.) Transfer the soup back to the pot, add the cream, and heat it to a simmer. Add balsamic, then taste and adjust seasonings. Serve warm with reserved mushrooms on top and crusty chunks of warm bread.