Cream of Mushroom Soup (v)

Ingredients

• 3 tbs butter
• 1 large onion, diced
• 4 cloves of garlic, minced
• 3 tbs olive oil
• 2 lbs assorted cleaned and sliced fresh mushrooms (reserve ~½ C for garnish)
• ½ C white wine (e.g., Chardonnay, Pinot Grigio or Sauvignon Blanc)
• ½ C all-purpose flour
• 3 qt vegetable stock
• 1½ C heavy whipping cream
• 3 tbs fresh parsley, minced
• 1 tbs fresh thyme, minced
• Sea salt and pepper to taste

Directions

1. Caramelize Onions: In a stockpot over medium-low heat, melt butter and cook onions ~45 minutes, stirring occasionally, until deeply caramelized. This step is critical.
2. Add Garlic: Stir in garlic and cook 1-2 minutes, until fragrant.
3. Cook Mushrooms: Add olive oil and mushrooms, increase heat to medium-high, and sauté 15-20 minutes, stirring often, until mushrooms are fully cooked down and concentrated. (Take your time - this step matters.)
4. Deglaze: Add white wine and cook ~5 minutes, stirring, until absorbed.
5. Build Soup: Stir in flour, add stock, increase heat to high, and bring to a boil - the soup should thicken.
6. Blend: Purée until smooth using an immersion blender or countertop blender.
7. Finish Soup: Stir in cream, herbs, salt, and pepper to taste.
8. Garnish: Heat 2 tbs olive oil in a hot sauté pan. Add reserved mushrooms and sauté ~5 minutes, until browned; add a pinch of herbs for color.
9. Serve: Ladle soup into bowls and top with sautéed mushrooms, chopped parsley, and a few drops of good olive oil.
10. Yield: About 10 servings

Chef's Notes

• Omit the heavy cream and use a plant‑based butter to make this a vegan mushroom soup.
• Soup can be made up to 2 days in advance.
• Reheat gently in a small pot over low heat until hot.
• Refrigerate up to 5 days. Freeze, well covered, up to 3 months. Thaw 1 day in the refrigerator before reheating.
• If the soup is too thin, add a slurry of ¼ C cornstarch + ¼ C cold water, then bring to a boil to activate.
• If cream separates during reheating, whisk in a small slurry (2 tbs cornstarch + 1 tbs water) and bring to a boil while whisking.

The Gumbo Page