Mushroom Soup with Roasted Garlic
It snowed on Mt. St. Helena this week! Imagine having to use chains in Napa. It is damp and cold here I need some soup to warm my bones, soup is a great "plan ahead" meal. You should double it and freeze the extra for those nights when you have no energy to cook. The oatmeal acts as a thickener and adds more fiber which we all need. Here is one of my favorites mushroom soup enjoy it with your favorite Pinot Noir.
Serves 6
2 tablespoons shallots, minced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
2 ounces white wine (chardonnay)
3 cloves of roasted garlic*
2 pounds Cremini mushrooms, cleaned and diced.
½ cup oatmeal (old fashion or quick cooking), uncooked
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bouquet garni (2 fresh sprigs of thyme, 1/2 bay leaf, and 2 sprigs of parsley wrapped in a leek leaf, cheese cloth or tea ball and secured with string).
5 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup crème fraiche (optional)
Fresh chive or parsley minced for garnish (optional)
1. In a heavy bottomed pan (Le Crueset) sauté the shallots in the butter and wine until translucent. Add the mushrooms and season with the salt. pepper, and bouquet garni. Cover and cook over medium heat about 5 minutes until the moisture is released from the mushrooms. When the mushrooms have released their moisture remove the lid, increase the heat and cook until the moisture has evaporated.
Serves 6
2 tablespoons shallots, minced
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
2 ounces white wine (chardonnay)
3 cloves of roasted garlic*
2 pounds Cremini mushrooms, cleaned and diced.
½ cup oatmeal (old fashion or quick cooking), uncooked
kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper
Bouquet garni (2 fresh sprigs of thyme, 1/2 bay leaf, and 2 sprigs of parsley wrapped in a leek leaf, cheese cloth or tea ball and secured with string).
5 cups vegetable or chicken stock
1 cup crème fraiche (optional)
Fresh chive or parsley minced for garnish (optional)
1. Soak the dried porcini mushrooms in 1 chop of hot water for 20 minutes.
2. In a heavy bottomed pan (Le Crueset) sauté the shallots in the butter and wine until translucent. Add the mushrooms and season with the salt. pepper, and bouquet garni. Strain the porcini mushrooms and add to the crimini mushrooms. Cover and cook over medium heat about 5 minutes until the moisture is released from the mushrooms. When the mushrooms have released their moisture remove the lid, increase the heat and cook until the moisture has evaporated.
2. Add the roasted garlic, oatmeal and stock cook for 10 minutes then puree in a blender until smooth. For a wonderfully silky texture pass through a fine strainer. Return the soup to a pan and heat gently.
Serve in warm soup bowls and top with a dollop of the crème fraiche and sprinkle of fresh herbs.
* Roasted Garlic- slice the top off of a head of garlic, drizzle a little extra virgin olive oil on the top. Place in a 250˚ oven on a piece of aluminum foil and bake for 2 hours. Do not let burn, it should be golden brown and soft when finished. Keep well wrapped in the refrigerator until needed.
©Julie Logue-Riordan, 2008
Copyright © Julie Logue Riordan, Cooking with Julie