Creamy Mushroom Soup

There’s never been a better season to try some new recipes for delicious warm winter soups. This recipe for creamy mushroom soup is a hearty answer to the cold wind outside. And don’t worry about wrecking your healthy new years resolutions – you can either substitute the cream for whole milk and add another half tablespoon of cornstarch or you could be reasonable with yourself and understand that whole ingredients will always leave you more satisfied than less fulfilling, lighter alternatives.

Creamy Mushroom Soup

The richness of cream and the meatiness of mushrooms blend perfectly. Use whatever fresh mushrooms you have on hand for this recipe. It’s particularly good with porcinis, chanterelles, shiitakes, or matsutakes.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients
2 tablespoons (25 mL) butter
12 ounces (375 g) fresh mushrooms, sliced
2 tablespoons (25 mL) all-purpose flour
1-3/4 cups (425 mL) chicken broth
1 cup (250 mL) light (5%) cream
1 tablespoon (15 mL) cornstarch
1/4 cup (50 mL) dry sherry or white wine
1/2 cup (125 mL) whipping (35%) cream
Salt and freshly ground white or black pepper

Directions
Melt butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Add mushrooms and sauté until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in flour and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds. Gradually whisk in broth and light cream. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened and gently simmering, 2 to 3 minutes.
In a small bowl, dissolve cornstarch in sherry and add to pan along with whipping cream. Cook, stirring, until gently simmering, 2 to 4 minutes. Season with salt and ground pepper, to taste. For extra-creamy soup, purée in a blender and force through a fine-mesh sieve. Serve hot.

Recipe from THE SCIENCE OF GOOD COOKING by David Joachim and Andrew Schloss with A. Philip Handel, Ph.D. (Robert Rose, Inc.; October 2008; $37.95/paperback)

Images: sxc.hu