Cream of Mushroom Soup

By lynnieb93

The earthy flavour of mushrooms is at its best puréed into this soup. This soup’s rich hearty flavour will easily satisfy your mushroom craving, and there’s enough for seconds or leftovers. It also shows off how well meaty mushrooms and red wine go together.

Ingredients

• 1 stick Butter
• 2 pounds button mushrooms, rinced and sliced
• 3 onions, peeled and chopped
• a sprinkle or two sea salt and freshly ground pepper
• 1/2 bottle hearty red wine
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 cup heavy cream (35%)
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water

Preparation

Step 1

Place a large stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the butter, mushrooms and onions. Season with salt and pepper. Sauté until lightly browned. The mushrooms will initially release a lot of moisture, preventing them from browning. Eventually that moisture will evaporate, allowing the pot’s heat to rise to browning temperature.
Pour in the red wine and bring it to a simmer. Continue cooking—the moisture in the wine will evaporate, concentrating its flavour—until the wine has reduced by about two-thirds.

Add the chicken broth, heavy cream and fresh thyme. Stir well and bring the soup to a simmer.
Meanwhile, dissolve the cornstarch in the water. Add this mixture slowly to the simmering soup, stirring until it returns to the simmer and thickens slightly. If you prefer your soup a bit thicker, feel free to add more cornstarch. Taste and add more salt and pepper, if desired. Serve immediately.