LARS' CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP
  • 1/3 cup (2/3 stick) butter
  • 2 tbsp olive oil
  • ½ cup minced onion (about 1/4 - 1/3 of a large onion)
  • 3-4 shallots, minced
  • 8 cloves garlic, minced
  • 1/4 cup minced fresh thyme (stems removed) (You can substitute 1 tbsp dried thyme)
  • 1/3 cup flour
  • 4 cups water (or mushroom stock)
  • ½ cup dry white wine (Sauvignon Blanc or Chardonnay)
  • 4-5 bouillon cubes (preferably mushroom flavor) or 2 tsp salt
  • ¼ tsp white pepper
  • 1½ tbsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 3 cups chopped or sliced white or brown mushrooms

 
 

  1. Chop or mince all ingredients ahead but do not combine together.

  2. Heat the butter and olive oil in a large sauce/soup pan until butter is melted.

  3. Add onion and cook at medium heat for about 2 or 3 minutes, just until onions barely begin to become translucent.

  4. Add shallots and garlic and cook for about 2 more minutes. They will not be done at the point but will cook more when flour is added.

  5. Add the thyme and cook about ½ minute more, stirring to combine.

  6. Add the flour and raise the heat slightly. Cook the flour into a roux (which could be done separately, if you prefer, dividing the butter in oil into two halves, one for the onion mixture, and one for the roux). This will take about 5 minutes, stirring constantly.

  7. Add the two cups of the water, one at a time, stirring to blend.

  8. Add the wine and stir.

  9. Add white pepper and black pepper and stir to blend.

  10. Add one more cup of water and stir.

  11. Add the mushrooms and the remaining water, as needed, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover, and simmer for 25 minutes.

 
 

Serve over cooked egg noodles and garnish with fresh, chopped Italian parsley.

I use Kosher mushroom bouillon cubes (they have less salt, but still enough that no more salt is needed), but you can buy mushroom stock at a restaurant supply store. Otherwise, to make mushroom stock, you can soak dried porcini mushrooms in hot water for 1 hour. Then remove the mushrooms (Save them for the soup, in place of some of the white mushrooms), and let the water sit to allow the sand to settle. Then pour most of it off and strain the remaining water through a large sieve with a coffee filter in it. This will catch the last of the sand. Wash and rinse the mushrooms two or three times more to remove the rest of the sand before using. Add salt to taste if you do not use bouillon cubes, about 2 tsp. If you don't use shallots, you can increase the onions to 1/3 cup and increase the garlic by 1-2 cloves.

You can also add leftover Turkey or Chicken and reduce the liquid by half to make a sauce to serve over the noodles (or rice) on a plate.