(Fancy) cream of mushroom soup

Ingredients

• 1 medium Onion (peeled and roughly chopped for pureeing)
• 2 tablespoons Olive Oil (for sautéing onion and later mushrooms)
• 2 tablespoons Unsalted Butter (for roux and mushroom sauté)
• 30 grams All-Purpose Flour (equal weight to butter for roux)
• 240 milliliters Cognac (used to deglaze and add forest‑like flavor; any brandy or whiskey works)
• 4 cups Water (plain water for stock base)
• 30 grams Dried Mixed Mushrooms (any variety; rehydrated in the broth)
• 2 tablespoons Worcestershire Sauce (adds umami; contains anchovies)
• 1 pound Fresh Mushrooms (cremini, baby shiitake, chanterelles) (cleaned, trimmed, thinly sliced)
• 2 cloves Garlic (peeled and minced; added at end of mushroom sauté)
• 240 milliliters Heavy Cream (added at the end; can substitute coconut cream for dairy‑free version)
• 1 teaspoon Fresh Thyme (optional garnish)
• to taste Salt
• to taste Black Pepper

Instructions

1. Prep Onion

   Peel the onion and roughly chop it; it will be pureed later so size does not matter.

   Time: PT5M

2. Sauté Onion

   Heat the wide sauté pan over medium‑high heat, add olive oil, and cook the onion, stirring occasionally, until soft and lightly browned, about 7 minutes.

   Time: PT7M

   Temperature: medium‑high

3. Make Roux

   Add butter to the pan, let it melt, then sprinkle in the flour. Stir continuously to form a smooth paste and cook for 2–3 minutes until it turns a light golden color.

   Time: PT3M

   Temperature: medium

4. Deglaze with Cognac

   Carefully pour the 240 ml of cognac into the pan, allowing the alcohol vapors to burn off (flambé if comfortable). Stir to scrape up browned bits.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: medium‑high

5. Add Water and Form Stock Base

   Slowly whisk in the 4 cups of water, adding a little at a time to avoid lumps. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: medium

6. Add Dried Mushrooms and Seasonings

   Stir in the dried mushrooms, Worcestershire sauce, a pinch of salt and pepper. Cover the pan and let simmer on low heat for 45–60 minutes to extract maximum flavor.

   Time: PT1H

   Temperature: low

7. Prepare Fresh Mushrooms

   While the stock simmers, rinse the fresh mushrooms, trim woody stems, and slice them thinly.

   Time: PT10M

8. Sauté Fresh Mushrooms

   In the same pan (or a second pan), add a splash of olive oil and a bit of butter, then add the sliced mushrooms with a pinch of salt and pepper. Cook, stirring, until most of the moisture evaporates and the mushrooms turn golden, about 8–10 minutes.

   Time: PT10M

   Temperature: medium‑high

9. Add Garlic

   Add the minced garlic to the mushrooms and sauté for another 2 minutes until fragrant but not burnt.

   Time: PT2M

   Temperature: medium

10. Combine Stock and Sautéed Mushrooms

    Return the mushroom‑infused broth to the pan, add the sautéed mushrooms (and any pan juices), and bring to a gentle boil.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: medium

11. Puree the Soup

    Using the stick blender, blend the soup directly in the pan until completely smooth. For an ultra‑silky texture, pass the blended soup through a fine mesh sieve.

    Time: PT5M

12. Finish with Cream

    Stir in up to 240 ml of heavy cream (add less if you prefer a lighter soup). Season with additional salt and freshly ground black pepper. Heat gently for 5 minutes, avoiding a hard boil to prevent curdling.

    Time: PT5M

    Temperature: low

13. Garnish and Serve

    Ladle the soup into bowls, drizzle a little extra cream on top, and sprinkle with fresh thyme (or tarragon/parsnip leaves) if desired.

    Time: PT2M

Nutrition Facts

Calories

360

Protein

5 g

Carbohydrates

20 g

Fat

30 g

Fiber

3 g