mmmMonday: Mushroom soup

I must admit that this was the first mushroom soup I've ever made and therefore do not have much to compare it to. Even still, I have a feeling this one's a keeper. The ingredients remind of a symphony; a perfect medley, each part in its rightful place adding to the overall experience. Didn't you know? I take soup seriously.

INGREDIENTS:

	1 pound mixed mushrooms		.25 cups cognac
	1 pound cremini mushrooms		3 tablespoons olive oil
	.5 cups minced shallots		4 cups chicken [or veg] stock
	6 sprigs thyme		.25 cups whipping cream
	1 sprig rosemary		.25 cups chopped chives

Begin by de-stemming the mushrooms, setting the caps to the side. Roughly chop the stems and put them to simmer in the chicken broth for about an hour.

While your broth simmers, chop the mushroom caps into about 1/2" slices. Honestly, I found this to be a little thick which added to the cook time, so I may chop them smaller next time.

Heat the oil in a large skillet and saute the shallots until they're transparent. Add the herbs and some salt and pepper.

Add the mushrooms to the shallots and herbs. Turn the heat down to low allowing the mushrooms to gently cook until the liquid is released and then reabsorbed. About 15 minutes.

Turn the heat up once the mushrooms have softened and add the cognac. I didn't flame it because I'm a klutz and cannot be trusted near an open flame, however feel free to give it a try if you're more trustworthy.

Lower the heat slightly and allow the mushroom mixture to cook until the liquid has reduced further and the mushrooms are golden around the edges. 

Strain the mushroom stems from the broth and add the mushroom cap mixture heating gently. Add cream and chives to the soup and stir. Serve right away, or save for lunch the next day. 

original recipe