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The Mushroom Masters Dinner Duel with Savory Sweet Life

Monday, September 19th, 2011

Week 3 of the Mushroom Masters competition is upon us and I think we know what’s for dinner. I have a hard time looking at this photo without releasing an audible sigh. It just looks too good, too perfectly fall with those mushrooms in a rich thyme marsala sauce over braised beef and mashed potatoes.

As I’m writing this, we’re edging up on lunchtime in the Midwest and I’ve already made a grocery list and extended dinner invitations for tonight. My guess is that you’ll find yourself in a similar position.

We are eternally grateful to Alice of Savory Sweet Life for her stunning entry. Harness that hunger for a moment and please do take a moment to go vote for this bit of beauty on Tastespotting.

Recipe: Marsala Mushroom Cream Sauce over Beer Braised Beef

Serves 4-6

Head note: This recipe for Marsala Mushroom Cream Sauce over braised beef is the ultimate comfort food on a cool fall or winter day.  Perfect for serving any day of the week, this dinner is also fancy enough to serve guests.  Made with both button and crimini mushrooms, the Marsala Cream sauce is what makes this dish special.

Ingredients:

Beer Braised Beef (recipe below)

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes (recipe below)

Marsala Mushroom Cream Sauce (recipe below)

Fresh Thyme Sprigs (garnish)

Directions:

This recipe is assembled in three parts.  The Beer Braised Beef, Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes, and the Marsala Mushroom Sauce.   Prepare the beer braised beef according to the recipe below.  Forty-five minutes before the beef is ready, prepare the buttermilk mashed potatoes.  Fifteen minutes before the beef is ready to come out of the oven, prepare the Marsala mushroom sauce.   To assemble this dish, scoop a generous scoop of mashed potatoes in a bowl or plate.  Take 1-2 pieces of the braised beef and place it on top of the mashed potatoes.  Spoon a few spoonfuls of the gravy from the pot over the beef.  Top off the beef with a few generous spoonfuls of the Marsala mushroom cream sauce.  Garnish with a fresh sprig of thyme before serving.

Beef Braised Beef

Ingredients:

1 (2-1/2 pound) boneless beef chuck roast

Kosher salt and ground pepper

1/2 cup all-purpose flour

4 tablespoons vegetable oil

2 medium yellow onions, halved and sliced thinly

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

2 (12-ounces) bottles lager beer, like Budweiser

3 beef bouillon cubes

3 sprigs fresh thyme

1 6-inch sprig rosemary

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 300 degrees F.  Cut the beef in large 2 or 3-inch chunks.  Season the beef generously with salt and pepper.  Place the beef in a ziplock bag and add the flour.  Seal the bag and shake the beef until each piece is dredged and coated in flour. Add three tablespoons vegetable oil to a large heavy duty pot and heat over medium-high heat.  Brown the beef on all sides, and then transfer to a plate.  Add the remaining tablespoon of vegetable oil to the pot and add the onions.  Cook the onions for 20 minutes until they are soft and slightly caramelized.  Stir in the balsamic vinegar, beer, and bouillon cubes.  Bring the mixture to boil, scraping up the brown bits from the bottom.  Add the beef and the juices from the plate back to the pot and give everything a good stir.  Cover the pot with a lid and place it in the oven for 2-1/2 hours.

Buttermilk Mashed Potatoes

Ingredients:

2 pounds Yukon gold potatoes, washed and quartered

1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, sliced

3/4 cup buttermilk

salt and pepper

Directions:

Bring a large pot of salted water to boil.  Add the potatoes and cook for 20 minutes until fork tender.  Carefully strain the potatoes and place them in a large bowl.  Add the butter and allow it to melt.  Stir in the buttermilk.  Using a potato masher, carefully mash the potatoes until creamy.  Season with salt and pepper

Marsala Mushroom Cream Sauce

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons butter

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

8 ounces sliced crimini mushrooms

8 ounces sliced white button mushroom

3/4 cup Marsala wine

1/2 cup Heavy Cream

3 sprigs fresh thyme

salt and pepper

Directions:

In a large skillet, heat the butter and oil over medium-high heat.  Once the butter is melted, add the mushrooms.  Sauté the mushrooms for 3-4 minutes until the mushrooms are barely cooked through.  Add the Marsala wine and cook for 5 minutes allowing the wine to slightly reduce.  Stir in the heavy cream and thyme.  Reduce the heat to medium and cook the mushroom sauce for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

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The Mushroom Masters Lunch Row with La Fuji Mama

Monday, September 12th, 2011

The Mushroom Masters continue this week with our next Team USA contender- the lovely and talented Rachael from La Fuji Mama.  A little bit about Rachael:

Rachael is a freelance food writer and author of the blog La Fuji Mama, which focuses on bringing world flavors to the family dinner table. Rachael has eaten her way around the world, having lived in a variety of locations, including Paris, Tokyo, Memphis, and Los Angeles.  She is a self-proclaimed Japanese cuisine advocate who loves introducing people to such things as the wonders of homemade tofu, the importance of sustainable seafood, and the secrets behind making professional-looking gyoza.

Now just because Rachael’s one of the nicest people we know doesn’t mean she isn’t prepared to serve a warm, comforting bowl of second and third place to the competition with her Mushroom Miso Ramen.  Please take a moment to exercise your click click of support for Team USA and Rachael by heading over to Tastespotting to vote!

Spicy Mushroom Miso Ramen

Rachael of www.lafujimama.com

Makes 3 to 4 servings

Recipe Notes: This recipe uses a vegetarian mushroom stock made from dried shiitake mushrooms and kombu, a thick kelp used extensively in Japanese cooking for adding extra flavor to dishes.  Paired with the dried shiitake mushrooms, it adds a bit of extra oomph to the stock.  If you don’t have any kombu, don’t worry, the stock is still delicious when made with just the dried shiitake mushrooms!  The recipe calls for 1 teaspoon to 1 tablespoon of crushed red chili flakes.  This is so that you can adjust the recipe to suit your tastes.  If you don’t like a lot of heat, only use 1 teaspoon.  If you like things nice and spicy like me, add the full tablespoon!

  • 8 small dried shiitake mushrooms
  • 8 square inches dried kombu (optional)
  • 4 ½ cups water
  • 4 teaspoons toasted sesame oil
  • 6 – 8 ounces cremini mushrooms, stems removed and sliced
  • 6 cloves garlic, finely chopped
  • 1 teaspoon – 1 tablespoon crushed red chili flakes (to suit your tastes)
  • 1 ½ tablespoons shiro miso (white miso paste)
  • 1 ½ tablespoons aka miso (red miso paste)
  • 10 ounces dried ramen noodles (aka, chukka soba), freshly cooked
  • Fresh cilantro leaves, to garnish

1. Make the mushroom stock: Place the dried shiitake mushrooms and kombu a pot with the water.  Bring the water almost to a boil and then turn down the heat to maintain a simmer.  Cook for 5 minutes.

2. Remove the pot from the heat and let the stock stand for 3 minutes.  Strain the stock through a fine-mesh strainer and set the stock aside.

3. Make the soup: Heat 3 teaspoons of the toasted sesame oil in a large skillet or wok over high heat.  Add the sliced cremini mushrooms and cook for about 20 seconds.  Drizzle in the remaining 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame oil, then add the finely chopped garlic and crushed red chili flakes, and stir-fry for another 20 seconds.

4. Pour the mushroom stock through a fine-mesh strainer held directly over the pan.  (Discard the solids left in the strainer.)  Adjust the heat to maintain a steady simmer, and separate the cooked noodles into 3 or 4 bowls.

5. Place the shiro miso and aka miso in a small bowl and ladle some of the hot stock from the pan into the bowl. Whisk the miso pastes and broth together until smooth, then add to the simmering stock in the pan.

6. Turn off the heat, then ladle the broth over the noodles in each bowl.  Garnish with fresh cilantro leaves and serve immediately.

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The Mushroom Masters Begins! Breakfast Battle by Shutterbean

Tuesday, September 6th, 2011

The Mushroom Masters is back and we are kicking off National Mushroom Month and our month-long Tastespotting partnership with the most important meal of the day- all of them breakfast!

Team USA is  serving bruschetta for breakfast courtesy of Shutterbean in Week 1- we must really like you guys. If you are inspired by this especially tasty toast, if you’re feeling especially patriotic or both, please do click through to vote for the US and Tracy from Shutterbean over on Tastespotting this week.

A little bit about Tracy:

Tracy Benjamin is obsessed with good food and great photography, both of which are equally evident on her fun and colorful blog, Shutterbean. Completely self-taught, Tracy loves the intimacy and nurturing quality of sharing delicious meals with loved ones. As a busy working mom, she has made it her mission to serve up tasty, home cooked meals, without having to slave for hours in the kitchen.

And what you’ve all been waiting for…the recipe:

Caramelized Mushroom & Shallot Bruschetta

Makes 20-22 bruschette

For the caramelized shallots
-3 medium shallots, thinly sliced in rings (about 1 cup)
-1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
-1 teaspoon light brown sugar

For the mushrooms
-1 ½ cups crimini mushrooms, thinly sliced
-1 ½ cups white button mushrooms, thinly sliced
-3 tablespoons salted butter
-3 tablespoons dry sherry
-kosher salt & fresh ground black pepper
-red pepper flakes
-4-5 sprigs fresh thyme

For the crostini
-1 sourdough baguette, cut into ½ slices on the diagonal (about 20-22 total)
-1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
-1 clove garlic
-4 oz. goat cheese, at room temperature
-aged balsamic vinegar

To make the caramelized shallots, heat 1 tablespoon of olive oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat and add shallots. Saute until translucent, about 5 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon of water and 1 teaspoon of brown sugar and continue to cook until shallots are browned and caramelized, about 10 minutes. Set shallots aside in a small bowl.

Heat 3 tablespoons butter in the same saucepan. Add the mushrooms and cook on medium- high heat to soften, stirring occasionally. After about 8 minutes, add sherry, salt, black pepper, a pinch of red pepper flakes and 3 sprigs thyme. Continue to cook for another 5-7 minutes, or until mushrooms are slightly caramelized and soft. Add the shallots to the mushroom mixture and set aside.

To make the crostini, put oven rack in upper third of oven and preheat oven to 350°F. Put bread slices on a baking sheet and brush slices with oil on both sides. Season lightly with salt and pepper, then bake until pale golden, about 10-15 minutes. If you are grilling the crostini, heat over medium high heat and grill each side for 3-4 minutes. When crostini are cool to touch, rub a clove of garlic on the top of each crostini.

To assemble bruschette, spread 1 tablespoon of goat cheese on top, spoon the slightly warm mushroom mixture on top of goat cheese. Repeat until all crostini are topped. Plate the bruschette and sprinkle tops with reserved thyme leaves, a pinch of salt, and drizzle each bruschetta lightly with aged balsamic vinegar.

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Rustic Mushroom Tart from Bell’Alimento

Friday, September 2nd, 2011

We are just so happy to be kicking off Mushroom Month with another beautiful post from Mushroom Channel contributor Paula of the positively bella Italian food blog Bell’Alimento. We think this would be the perfect addition to Labor Day brunch. Enjoy the long weekend!

This is a simple savory mushroom tart that you can put together quickly. It’s stunning as an appetizer when sliced and served with wine or is hearty enough as a full meal.  It starts off with a flaky layer of crust and then you taste the creamy béchamel which leads way to the scrumptiously sautéed herbed mushrooms

Feel free to substitute puffed pastry dough for the pie crust if you like even more flakiness.  To up the mushroom ante you can even mix in a variety of mushrooms.

Rustic Mushroom Tart
Serves: 4 – Prep Time: 10 minutes – Start – Finish Time:  40 minutes


Ingredients:
1-2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
½ onion – minced
8 ounces button mushrooms – sliced
salt/pepper
1 tablespoon fresh thyme
1 refrigerated pie crust
¼ cup prepared béchamel sauce {see below}
1 egg – beaten


Directions:
1. Add olive oil to a medium sauté pan. Heat  over medium –high.  Add onion and sauté until softened. Add mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper. Reduce heat to low and cook until mushrooms are tender. Add thyme. Set aside.

2. Place pie crust onto a rimmed cookie sheet that has been lined with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Place béchamel sauce into center of pie crust. Top with mushrooms.

3. Carefully fold pie crust so that it overlaps mushrooms but does not enclose.  Brush top of pie crust with beaten egg.

4. Bake for approximately 30 minutes OR until crust is golden.

Béchamel Sauce:
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 tablespoons flour
1 1/4 cups milk – heated
pinch of salt
Into a small sauce pan add butter and melt over medium heat. Add flour and stir with a wooden spoon. Cook for approximately two minutes, stirring constantly. Add heated milk and whisk to combine. Continue cooking until mixture has thickened. 

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Time to Celebrate National Mushroom Month!

Thursday, September 1st, 2011

It’s the most wonderful time of year- September is National Mushroom Month! September is the perfect time for mushroom fans to let their friendly fungi flag fly and we’ve got all kinds of delicious ideas for flavorful feasting.

Some things to watch out for during mushroom month are:

  • Mushroom Masters: A Tournament of Taste – the second annual international competition of food bloggers kicks off on Tuesday, September 6. Tune into the Channel to see amazing recipes and photos from four fantastic food bloggers representing the USA. Please support these patriotic plates by voting for Shutterbean, La Fuji Mama, Savory Sweet Life and Elana’s Pantry on Tastespotting this month!
  • Mr. Food Mushroom Recipes – Fellow fun-guy Mr. Food created two new mushroom recipes just for us! The nationally syndicated show airs on September 7 & 8, and we’ll share the full recipes with you!
  • 30 Days of #MushroomMonth Tweets – We’ve cooked up 30 reasons for you to celebrate National Mushroom Month to the fullest, every day!
  • Fun on Facebook- Come check out fun with photos, recipes,interesting facts and delicious meal ideas.
  • Mushrooms all Month – Cook with mushrooms every day, every way! Take recipes and inspiration from our phenomenal contributing bloggers, the Mr. Food test kitchen, and the Council’s collection.

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Campfire Mushrooms from Chez Us

Tuesday, June 14th, 2011

Today’s exceptionally summertime-friendly post comes from Denise of the beautiful food blog, Chez Us.  Mushrooms in all their goodness with the smoky addition of a campfire? I need to find my tent…


It is that time of year, when we unpack our sleeping bags, air out the tent, and dust off the out-door kitchen gear.  That is right it is camping season.  Time to hit the high-country, take in some fresh air, and commune with nature.  Let’s clear the air right away;  we are not the type of campers who feel the need to bring freeze dried bags of food nor cans of soup.  Why would people scrimp on eating good food just because they are camping.  Food tastes so much better next to a campfire.

Planning the perfect (and easy) menu is as critical as finding the right camping spot.  Camping for us is a joyously, gourmet event.  One food item that is always on the menu is some sort of beef dish, as there really is nothing better than sizzling meat on the grill.  We picked up a beautiful tri-tip to take on our most recent camping excursion.  This cut of meat is flavorful enough without having to do a lot of seasoning.  We kept it simple;  lightly seasoned with maldon salt, fresh cracked black pepper, and finished with campfire mushrooms.

Campfire mushrooms can be found on most of our camping adventures.  Mushrooms are very camp friendly as they are easy to transport as well as easy to prepare.  They don’t require a lot of cleaning prep, just a mushroom brush or a paper towel;  they require very little cutting, if they are small enough just toss into the pan;  and, they go with just about everything from grilled meat to eggs for breakfast.  Campfire mushrooms is a sauteed mushroom dish that is made with a medley of mushrooms such as cremini and portobellos.  If I can find fresh shiitakes, I like to add them to the recipe.

I could not find shittakes for this outing, but I did find fresh morels, so I splurged and added them to the mix.  I love the morels sponge like texture and woodsy taste.  The seasonings are simple, a little olive oil and fresh garlic, shallots and rosemary, all of which are easy to transport.  I use a little fresh lemon juice as well as some red wine or beef stock, which makes a rich broth for the mushrooms to bathe in, and for the grilled meat to soak up.  This recipe goes really well with a nice steak and even a juicy burger.  Guaranteed to impress even your fussiest camping guests.

Campfire Mushrooms

  • 1 pound brown cremini mushrooms, cleaned and cut into thirds
  • ¼ pound portabella mushroom, cleaned and cut into thick slices
  • ¼ pound morels, cut the very end off;  leave whole
  • 2 tablespoons olive oil
  • 3 tablespoons butter
  • 2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
  • 2 small shallots, thinly sliced
  • 1 spring fresh rosemary
  • ½ lemon juiced
  • drizzle of red wine or beef stock (about ¼ cup)

Start your campfire using wood;  the smoky flavor will add depth to your mushroom dish.  Once the coals are ready put a cooking grate over the top of the fire, set a large frying pan on top;  add the olive oil and butter.  Heat until melted.  Add the shallots, stir, and cook for a minute.  Add the garlic and rosemary, stir.  Add the brown cremini mushrooms, stir, and cook for about 3 – 5 minutes, until slightly soft.  Cooking time will depend on how hot the fire is.  Add the portobello mushroom, stir, and cook for another 3 – 5 minutes.  Add the lemon juice, stir and cook for a minute.  Add the wine and cook down for about 5 minutes.  Stir in the morels, and lightly heat for 3 minutes.  Serve over grilled steaks.

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Pickled Mushrooms from Hey What’s for Dinner Mom

Monday, June 6th, 2011

Today’s post comes to us from Laura Sampson of the fabulous family food blog Hey What’s for Dinner, Mom? If this is her answer to that perennial question, we’ll be coming over for supper as well!

I’m always looking for ways to keep and preserve food in our 3 pantries, I live in Alaska, it’s what we do. The dry pantry, the cold pantry and the frozen pantry are continually being pressed into service to hold some sort of pickled, smoked or canned delicacy.

Gravlax, caviar, hand dug clams, beet relish, spiced crabapple jelly, homemade sauerkraut, smoked salmon, fresh halibut, moose hot dogs and ginger ale are a few of the favorites that have graced our shelves. When I was plotting my first post for the Mushroom Channel I knew I wanted to make something that I could make ahead and pulled out later. Something along the lines of “oh yes THESE ARE homemade….no, not hard to make at all!”, I guess spectacularly easy was the goal.

Obviously this had to be the humble pickled mushroom. A seemingly simple recipe with delightful results. Mushrooms are cleaned, cooked lightly in pickling solution and refrigerated for a week to be infused with spices, garlic and herbs. The recipe can easily be adapted to what herbs you have on hand or can be made spicy hot by the addition of a sliced pepper or two.  No question about it, this little appetizer bite is easily homemade and it is fabulous. I think you’ll agree.

Pickled Mushrooms

Ingredients

  • 1 pound button mushrooms, petite if possible
  • 1 1/2 cups white wine vinegar
  • 1 3/4 cups water
  • 2 1/2 Tablespoons of sugar
  • 1 bay leaf
  • pinch or dried chili flakes
  • 3 whole cloves
  • 1 garlic clove, peeled and smashed
  • one good pinch of salt

you will also need

2 pint jars, lids and rings, washed well

  1. Wash and pat the mushrooms dry
  2. Trim the stems down a bit just to remove the end, save the trimmed stems for making stock
  3. In a medium size pan, combine the rest of the ingredients and bring to a boil over medium high heat
  4. When boiling reduce heat to a simmer and add the mushrooms
  5. Cook the mushrooms for 5-6 minutes
  6. Remove from heat
  7. Lift the mushrooms out of the vinegar solution
  8. Cool the mushrooms and vinegar separately
  9. Once cool, divide the mushrooms between the two pint jars
  10. Cap and store in the refrigerator for up to a week

they can be eaten in as little as 24 hours but the longer they pickle the more developed their flavor will be

These are great served up with a toothpick for a little bite or used in something bigger like an Antipasto Platter with fresh mozzarella, cured olives, sliced prosciutto and the like.

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USDA Dishes Up a New Dietary Guidelines Icon

Thursday, June 2nd, 2011

Since the release of the 2010 Dietary Guidelines earlier this year, the team members at the Mushroom Channel have been taking steps to meet the recommendations at our own kitchen tables. Small changes here and there add up, like increasing vegetable and fruit consumption, decreasing sodium and limiting portions. Just as we’ve started to get the hang of the new guidelines, First Lady Michelle Obama, Agriculture Secretary Tom Vilsack and Surgeon General Regina Benjamin released this graphic to help guide healthy eating habits. Announcing, My Plate.

My Plate – which replaces the Food Pyramid – is a simple visual reference that reminds us how and what to eat to best meet the Dietary Guidelines.

As fellow mushroom fans, you’ll appreciate that half the plate is dedicated to fruits and veggies! Which begs the question – how do we get that many vegetables into each meal? Look no further than the mighty mushroom! Buttons, portabellas, creminis… choose your favorite variety and fold them into your favorite meals to work more vegetables, and nutrition, onto your plate. Sounds like a challenge we’re ready to take, in fact, we’re already using mushrooms in everyday recipes:

So tell us, what’s going on your plates these days?

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Farfalle with Walnut-Tarragon Pesto, Cremini Mushrooms and Peas from Julies Raw Ambition

Thursday, April 21st, 2011

This week’s gorgeous spring recipe comes to us from Julies Raw Ambition, one of our 2011 Featured Contributors.  We love the use of fresh peas to offer some sweetness to balance that beautiful umami from the mushrooms and pesto!

Walnuts with tarragon and a little bit of thyme create a decidedly French-inspired, delicious alternative to traditional basil pesto. Meaty cremini mushrooms and sweet petite peas are the perfect compliment, punctuated with freshly grated Parmesan cheese. The portion of tarragon for the pesto may seem modest, but a little goes a long way.

Farfalle with Walnut-Tarragon Pesto, Creminis, and Peas

  • 16 oz package farfalle (bow-tie shaped) pasta
  • 16 oz cremini mushrooms, thinly sliced
  • 1/2 cup frozen petite spring peas, thawed
  • 1 cup raw walnuts, lightly toasted in a dry skillet
  • 2 cups loosely packed parsley (some stems are fine)
  • 1/2 cup fresh parmeggiano-reggiano cheese chunks
  • 1/4 cup fresh tarragon leaves
  • 1 TB fresh thyme leaves
  • 1 peeled garlic clove
  • 1/2 cup + 2 Tbs extra virgin olive oil
  • 1 TB lemon juice
  • Sea salt
  • freshly ground black pepper

Cook farfalle according to package instructions.  Be sure to liberally salt the water. Drain and reserve a cup of pasta water.

In a large skillet, saute the mushrooms in 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium-high heat until golden brown. Add a couple of pinches of sea salt and some freshly ground black pepper when they are near done. Turn off heat, add the cooked farfalle and set aside.

Make the pesto by first adding the garlic clove and parmesan cheese to a food processor. Pulse until crumbly, then add the walnuts. Pulse again to smaller crumbles, making sure garlic is well incorporated. Then add parsley, tarragon, and thyme. Blend until herbs are finely minced in with the cheese and walnuts. Add the lemon juice, and with the processor running, slowly drizzle in 1/2 cup of olive oil. Check the seasonings and add some pepper and a pinch or two of salt to taste.

Add the pesto, 1/4 cup at a time, and the thawed peas to the skillet. Toss, and add a little bit of pasta water to thin the pesto.  Add more pesto as desired, toss again, and thin with pasta water as necessary.  Serve with a wedge of parmesan cheese to grate fresh over the top.

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Cream of Mushroom Soup from Chez Us

Monday, April 11th, 2011

This post comes to us from 2011 Mushroom Channel contributors Denise and Lenny – the brains and appetites behind Chez Us. We love that they took a classic and truly maximized the mushrooms by using a mix of types, blending some and leaving other in slices for additional texture. Really looking forward to trying it at home!


We are excited that this is our first recipe for the Mushroom Channel.  Just as exciting for us, is getting the chance to meet all of you.  We have at least one thing in common, and that is mushrooms.  We look forward to learning more about what the eaters of the Mushroom Channel like, and how we can develop recipes to make you hungry for more MUSHROOMS!

We have been playing around with this mushroom soup recipe for a couple months;  long before we knew we would become Mushroom Channel contributors.  The first few attempts at this recipe, were good, but not quite what we were hungry for.  We wanted something creamy, hearty, flavorful… and easy.  We finally got it right, and just in time to share it with all of you.

This cream of mushroom soup is definitely not what you would think of reaching for when that craving for cream of mushroom soup hits. Our version is light, earthy, full of texture, and a little bit spicy.  You will learn over the next few months, that we are all about texture and spice.

For this recipe, we used a mixture of cremini and portabella mushrooms which are readily available at most markets.  We did not want this soup to be pasty;  it had to have substance.  Instead of pureeing all of the mushroom mixture, we pureed, half of the mixture with the cream and starch, and then combined it with the remainder of the mushroom mixture.  This technique left us with a bowl of soup that had  a creamy broth, and thick, meaty mushroom pieces in every bite.

If you are a vegetarian or gluten free don’t shy away, this recipe is adaptable for you. We have made it with gluten free, rich vegetable stock, lemony-chicken stock, as well as a deep beefy stock;  all versions came out equally as delicious. We’ve also used potato starch and flour as thickeners;  both work perfectly.

To make a complete meal, we like to serve this soup with a leafy green salad and warm, crusty bread.


Recipe:  Cream of Mushroom Soup
*makes 4 hearty servings or 6 light servings

  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 1/2 yellow onion
  • 1 large garlic clove, minced
  • 1 pound cremini  mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
  • 1 medium portabella, cleaned and sliced
  • 4 springs thyme, leaves only
  • 1 teaspoon Basque paprika or other spicy paprika
  • 4 cups stock, your choice
  • 1 cup half and half
  • 2 tablespoons potato starch or flour
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • handful minced parsley
  • kosher salt to taste
  • black pepper to taste

In a large dutch oven or sauce pan, heat the olive oil, over medium heat. Add the onions, lower heat to a low medium, and cook until soft; about 10 minutes. Add the garlic, thyme, and cook for 5 minutes. Add the sliced mushrooms, and continue to cook over low heat, for 7 minutes. Sprinkle in the paprika, and stir. Add the beef stock, lower the heat to a low simmer; cook for 20 minutes. Remove from heat, and let cool for 10 minutes. Put half of the stock mixture, and about a fourth of the mushrooms, into a blender or food processor, add the half and half and the starch or flour. Give it a couple whirls until the mushrooms are broken up, and the mixture is fairly lump free. Put the mixture back into the stock pot, with the remaining stock and mushrooms. Gently reheat, over low heat. Stir in the butter. Season with salt and pepper. Serve. Eat.

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