M

Cream of Mushroom Soup*
(no exact measurements)

 

About 2 quarts (or more) of chicken or vegetable stock
Two onions
One or two cloves garlic (or to taste)
At least one pound or more of brown (Crimini or baby Portobello) mushrooms
Butter for sautéing the onions
Butter for sautéing the mushrooms
Thyme
Black pepper
Salt
Flour to thicken
At least two cups whole milk or half-and-half
Parsley or thyme leaves for garnish (optional)

  1. Put the chicken stock in a 6 quart stock pot, heat.
  2. Slice the onions and garlic thinly and brown in a deep skillet with some butter until nicely caramelized. Add to stock in the pot. Put some of the stock in the skillet to loosen up the nice yummy brown stuff stuck inside, add back to pot.
  3. Bring the stock to a boil, then reduce the heat and let simmer about 15 minutes or so.
  4. Blend the stock thoroughly with an electric mixer or hand-held immersion blender so that the onions are broken down to itty bitty onion molecules.
  5. While the stock is cooking, clean the skillet.
  6. Chop or slice up the mushrooms. Put them in the skillet with some butter, and brown them until caramelized, just like you did with the onions. Keep browning until most of the moisture is evaporated.
  7. Add the mushrooms to the stockpot, season with thyme, pepper and salt to taste.
  8. Bring to a boil, turn down the heat to low, and let simmer with the lid on for about an hour.
  9. Put about half of the milk into a small container with a very tight lid. Add about 1/3 cup flour on top of the milk, snap the lid on, and shake it baby, shake it, until the flour is completely blended into the milk.
  10. Stir the milk-flour mixture into the stock, add the rest of the milk, and while stirring and stirring, heat to a boil. Reduce the heat, but keep it at a low boil for a couple of minutes so the flour will thicken the mixture.
  11. If it's not thick enough, put some cold water in your shake-it-up container, add a bit more flour, shake the hell out of it (don't forget the lid!), and add to the soup. Return to low boil, and hope you got it right. You don't want it thick like gravy!
  12. Remove from heat.
  13. Serve and enjoy!

*If it turns out yukky, then you're just a lousy cook.

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