By Iron Chef Leftovers
Here is the even easier version of the Mushroom Soup recipe posted yesterday. It is relative since this saves you about 5 minutes total on the cooking of the soup and exchanges the roux and the volute with an extra potato for thickening. These recipes make about 1 quart of soup and freeze really well.
The Software
1 1/2 lbs mushrooms – you can use any kind you want
3 small or 2 medium Yukon Gold potato
1/2 oz dried Porcini (or any other kind of dried) mushrooms
4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
2 cups water
1/4 cup marsala or port wine
1/8 cup cognac
1 teaspoon dried thyme
Salt and Pepper
The Prep
Rinse the mushrooms well to remove dirt – you don’t need to worry about soaking them with water – they aren’t going to be seared. Half any that are larger than a 1 inch diameter. Scrub the potatoes and cut into quarters for a small potato or eights for a medium one.
The Soup
Add the mushrooms, potatoes, stock, thyme, marsala and cognac to the pot (don’t add the water just yet).If there is not enough liquid in the pot to cover all the dry ingredients, add a bit more stock or water to cover. Just a reminder, mushrooms do float, so it may look like they are not covered. If you are not sure, submerge them and see if there is any liquid on top of them. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to a simmer. Cook for 1 hour.
The Finish
Puree the soup in three parts in a blender (BE CAREFUL, it is HOT). Taste and add salt and pepper. If you want a thinner soup, add additional stock or water. The soup is great on its own or add in some rice or pasta, maybe a few leaves of fresh thyme or a dab of sour cream or a dash of sherry vinegar and consume.
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