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Creamy Mushroom Bisque

By Lee Buttala
Nothing beats a demitasse of soup on a cold winter’s night, and this bisque is easy to make. It can easily be frozen, although I would then reserve the cream to be added when the soup is thawed and reheated. I also make it on the thinner side to make it easy to sip (no spoon needed) and not overly filling.
The porcini powder is optional but adds a lot of flavor. I was first taught about this ingredient by Lidia Bastianich. It’s the result of pulverizing dried porcini in a food processor or coffee grinder (if not sufficiently crisp, toast porcini in a 200° oven on a parchment-lined cookie sheet until dry and crisp). I almost always have this on hand; a small jar of it makes a wonderful present for friends who love to cook, as it stores well and adds an umami richness to everything from soups to risotto.
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Course Soup
Servings 4 -8

Ingredients
  

  • 2 tablespoons olive oil, or more to taste
  • 2 tablespoons butter, or more to taste
  • 1 pound mushrooms (white, portabello, cremini, or a mixture of wild mushrooms), thinly sliced
  • Salt and pepper
  • 1 shallot, peeled and finely chopped
  • 1 carrot, peeled and diced into ¼-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons porcini powder, optional
  • 3 sprigs fresh thyme, stems removed, or ½ teaspoon dried
  • ½ cup white wine
  • 1 quart chicken stock
  • ½ cup heavy cream, or more to taste
  • Chives, chopped as garnish, optional

Instructions
 

  • Heat olive oil and butter in a large sauté pan and cook mushrooms over medium heat until soft and browned. If the pan is not large enough to cook in a single layer, cook in batches. Season with salt and pepper to taste, remembering the stock will contribute more salt.
  • Add in shallot and carrot and lower heat, cook until softened. Stir in porcini powder, if using, and thyme. Deglaze pan by adding white wine and scraping the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon to dislodge any browned bits. Add stock to pan and reduce heat to low. Cook for 30 minutes at a slow simmer.
  • Puree mixture with an immersion blender or in a food processor until smooth. If freezing soup, do so at this point without adding in cream. Otherwise add in cream when soup is at a low simmer or just before serving to reduce chance of curdling.
  • Serve with a garnish of chives or thyme if desired.
Keyword mushroom