'Shrooming : Mushroom Soup

'Shrooming : Mushroom Soup

According to whomever decides this crap, September has been deemed National Mushroom Month.  Since I didn't want to have the mushroom mafia after me  for not paying proper homage to the almighty fungi, I decided to whip up a batch of pipin' hot mushroom soup.

[Note: If you are looking for a healthy, light soup...this is not the soup for you. It's heavy, decadent and a true "comfort food" dish.]

Mushroom Soup
(* adapted from a recipe in "Comfort Me With Apples" by Ruth Reichl)

Ingredients

1 lb. portobello mushrooms, destemmed & sliced
1 lb. crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 small yellow onions, diced
4 cups beef broth
1/2 cup red wine
2 cups heavy cream (or half and half)
1 cup whole milk
8 T flour
1 t ground nutmeg
1/4 t thyme
2 bay leaves
1 stick of unsalted butter
salt
pepper

Instructions

1. Melt butter over medium heat in a heavy saucepan.
2. When foam subsides, add onion and saute until golden.
3. Add mushrooms and saute until brown.
4. Stir in flour and then slowly whisk in broth.
5. Add seasonings.
6. Heat cream/milk on the stove or in the microwave and slowly add to pot. Whisk again to ensure that everything is incorporated.
7. Add wine. Whisk yet again. (Is your arm getting tired yet?)
8. Simmer on low for ten minutes (do not boil).
9. Taste. Modify seasonings as needed.