Cream of mushroom soup with a side of crusty bread or a grilled cheese sandwich is one of my favorite comfort foods. I've tried many different recipes but in the end always come back to my favorite which I found in The Settlement Cookbook, Third Edition, published by Simon and Schuster in 1965. I found this cookbook one day in a little antique shop in Boulder City, Nevada and have enjoyed going back to the basics ever since! I hope you enjoy this as much as I have.
Cream of Mushroom Soup
Ingredients:
- 4 tablespoons butter
- 1/2 pound mushrooms
- 1 quart chicken or vegetable broth
- 2 tablespoons flour
- 1 cup cream
- salt and pepper to taste
- Melt half the butter in a skillet, add mushrooms, chopped or ground, cover; simmer 5 minutes. (Note: I will chop about 1/2 to 2/3 of the mushrooms and then use thicker slices of the rest of the mushrooms for a 'chunkier' soup.)
- Add to broth. Cook 5 minutes.
- Melt rest of the butter in saucepan, add flour. Use a fork or whisk to blend until it has a smooth consistency.
- When it bubbles, stir in broth; add cream and seasoning.
- Top with a light sprinkle of paprika or chopped parsley.
If you want to enhance the flavor here are some options for you:
- Before cooking the mushrooms, finely chop 1 small onion and saute until they start to soften. Then, add in the mushrooms and continue cooking according to the directions above.
- Use a mix of different kinds of mushrooms such as white, button, porcini, shitake, or portabello. Select mushrooms that are known for their robust or rich flavors.
- After you have combined the ingredients above, stir in 1-2 tablespoons or mascarpone cheese, or sour cream.
- When the combined mixture is cooking, add a sprig of fresh thyme or rosemary. Remove from the mixture before serving.
- Instead of using butter you can saute the mushrooms in a cup of white or marsala wine.
Enjoy!
