Thursday, December 16, 2010

Dorie Greenspan's Paris Mushroom Soup

What a banner week this has been!  Two books that I won arrived in the mail, Bon Appetit Desserts: The Cookbook for all Things Sweet and Wonderful by Barbara Fairchild, A Holiday Yarn by Sally Goldenbaum (a Christmas mystery in the cozy genre for knitting fans -- that would be me) and my own purchase of Dorie Greenspan's amazing tome, Around my French Table.  Where to begin?  I ask you.  Where?

Windy, icy, raw weather kept me in, so I was limited by what we had on hand.  Thanks to Dorie, I was able to make a delicious, rich, woodsy mushroom soup with relatively few, rather common ingredients.  A great appetizer, hearty lunch, or dinner starter, it's great at any time of the day.



PARIS MUSHROOM SOUP
Prep 25 minutes Cook: 30 minutes
Makes: 6 servings

This soup can be served over a small salad of raw mushrooms seasoned with salt, pepper, chopped chives and parsley. Cover and refrigerate for up to three days or freeze for up to 2 months.

2 tablespoons butter
1-1/2 large onions, coarsely chopped
3 large cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
 Salt and freshly ground white pepper
1-1/2 pounds white mushrooms, trimmed, sliced
2 parsley sprigs
1 rosemary sprig
1/3 cup dry white wine
6 cups chicken broth or water
 Creme fraiche, optional
  the butter in a Dutch oven or soup pot over low heat. Add onions, garlic, salt and pepper to taste. Cook, stirring often, until the vegetables are soft, 5 minutes. Add the mushrooms and remaining tablespoon of the butter.
 Raise the heat to medium. Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms release their liquid, about 3 minutes. Increase the heat to high; cook until almost all the liquid evaporates. Pour in the wine; let boil until almost evaporated.

Add the broth and herbs; heat to a boil. Lower the heat; cover the pot almost completely. Simmer 20 minutes. Discard the rosemary sprig.

Puree the soup in small batches in a blender or food processor until smooth. Taste for salt and white pepper. Pour the soup back into the pot; heat over low heat until hot. Serve garnished with creme fraiche.

Indulge yourself in some tasty holiday reading.

Around My French Table: More Than 300 Recipes from My Home to Yours

Bon Appetit Desserts: The Cookbook for All Things Sweet and Wonderful
A Holiday Yarn: A Seaside Knitters Mystery



2 comments:

icedteaforme said...

I am hoping to make this soon!!! the paris mushroom soup is on the january french fridays with dorie cook list i think, do your do the cook along?
www.frenchfridayswithdorie.com

I try to but i am not good at keeping up!

yours looks soooo good

glad to hear the week was well spent! i love dorie and her gougeries (SP?) recipe is phenominally easy and sooo good!

merry christmas!

Anonymous said...

just made her cure-all soup yesterday and flipped to the paris mushroom soup that i plan on making tonight! CANNOT WAIT!

audra
www.oneloudlemon.blogspot.com