Cream of Mushroom Soup
- Half cup of butter
- Quarter cup of flour
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 1 pound of mushrooms, finely chopped
- 1 pound of mushrooms, roughly chopped
- 4 cups chicken stock or broth
- 4 cups of whole milk or light cream (half and half)
- Quarter cup of balsamic vinegar
- Parmesan cheese - sprinkle on top
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Chopped or dried parsley and basil and tarragon to taste.
1. Melt butter in soup pot on medium low heat.
2. Add onions and salt. Saute onions until they are soft.
3. Add mushrooms, and cook for about 5 minutes.
4. Add flour in a bit at a time, stirring it in as you do to help prevent lumps.
5. Add broth a bit at a time, stirring as you do to prevent lumps. After enough broth has been added to make everything liquid, add the rest of the broth.
6. Bring to a boil, reduce to low heat and simmer for about 5 minutes or so. This will allow the flour to thicken the soup somewhat.
7. Add the cream, pepper, basil and parsley. Gently simmer the soup without boiling for about ten minutes to allow the flavors to mix completely.
8. Add the balsamic vinegar, stir and serve.
9. Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top.
Mushroom types: Button, Chanterelle, Shiitake, Morel, Porcini, Portobello, and Oyster, or mix and match.
You can also change some of the spices and herbs. Tarragon works in place of basil, and the addition of garlic along with onions, or roasted garlic along the broth can make for a tasty change. Also, a touch of nutmeg would not be out of place, as it is always a good addition to a cream sauce.
One note about cleaning mushrooms: do NOT clean them in water, as they will soak it up which will stop them from absorbing the flavors of your soup. It is far better to brush them clean with a dry cloth or a very soft brush. And since they do absorb liquid, that means they can pick up a lot of extra flavor by being soaked in wine, sherry, chicken stock, or nearly anything that is not too acidic.
