Mushroom and Brie Soup

There is an area eatery that is rapidly becoming one of our casual favorites. It's called Edgewild Bistro and they have a wonderful Mushroom and Brie soup. The trouble is, I want the soup more often than we go to the restaurant, so I decided to come up with one on my own. As it turns out, Kevin at Closet Cooking has a marvelous recipe, so I used his, BUT I used the mushroom broth that I made last week instead of the called for chicken or vegetable (that, honestly, never made sense to me because mushrooms are more meaty than chicken-y). The result is a soup that is so intensely flavorful and delicious that it is almost intoxicating. If you truly like mushrooms and want your soup to have a deep, rich, woodsy mushroom flavor, you need look no further.

Mushroom and Brie Soup

Slightly adapted from Closet Cooking

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 1/2 pounds crimini mushrooms, quartered

2 tablespoons unsalted butter

1 yellow onion, diced

2 cloves garlic, minced

1 teaspoon fresh thyme, minced

2 tablespoons flour

1/2 cup dry white wine (pinot grigio)

4 cups homemade mushroom broth

4 ounces brie, cut into 1 inch pieces

1/2 cup heavy cream

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preheat oven to 400ºF.

Toss the mushrooms in the oil, place on a foil-lined baking sheet in a single layer and roast until they start to caramelize, about 20-30 minutes, mixing them up once midway through roasting.

Meanwhile, melt the butter in a medium stock pot over medium heat, add the onions and cook until tender, about 5-7 minutes.

Add the garlic and thyme and cook until fragrant, about a minute. Add the flour and cook for 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Add the wine and deglaze the pan.

Add the broth and mushrooms, bring to a boil, reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Add the cream and brie, let the brie melt, fish out the rinds and season with salt and pepper to taste before pureeing to the desired consistency and enjoy!

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Chocolate Cheesecake Dessert

I love a light, rich, deeply chocolaty chocolate mousse, the mister not so much. He prefers something heavier, on the order of pudding, that he can really sink his teeth into. So when I decided to make an easy, no-bake dessert that was chocolaty enough to satisfy me with enough body to satisfy him, this seemed the perfect choice. It is little more than a cream cheese crepe filling with the addition of two kinds of cocoa and espresso powder to intensify the chocolate flavor. Trust me when I tell you it is heaven. I served it to company last night, and all I heard was the sound of spoons scraping the bottom of bowls.

Chocolate Cheesecake Dessert

1 cup heavy whipping cream

8 ounces Philadelphia cream cheese, room temperature

2 Tablespoons Hershey’s unsweetened cocoa powder

1 Tablespoon Hershey’s Special Dark cocoa powder

1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar

2 Tablespoons half ‘n half

1/2 teaspoon espresso powder

Pinch of cinnamon (optional)

Additional whipped cream for topping (optional)

Whip heavy cream to stiff peaks; set aside.

In a medium mixing bowl, beat together cream cheese, cocoa powders, powdered sugar, half ‘n half, espresso powder, and cinnamon (if using), until light and fluffy, 5-7 minutes. Add the whipped cream to the cream cheese mixture and fold together until fully combined.

Serve in ramekins topped with whipped cream and a dusting of cocoa or powdered sugar. Store in the refrigerator until ready to serve. Keeps 1-2 days when covered and refrigerated so, yes, it is make ahead!

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Mushroom Broth

Earlier this month I told you about Marco Canora’s amazing book on bone broth called Brodo, and provided you with the recipe for his mushroom broth. Here it is again with my adjustments. I simply cannot recommend this enough. I have come to enjoy it so much that in the afternoon, instead of taking a tea break, I’ve been taking a savory bone broth break with this intensely flavorful and satisfying broth. Yesterday I used what was left of the stock and made mushroom soup. What a tremendous difference it makes to make mushroom soup with mushroom rather than vegetable, chicken, or beef stock. It was so delicious as to be almost intoxicating. I've said it before, and I’ll say it again: Buy this book, and use this book. Even your favorite recipe can be improved with Marco’s delicious homemade broths.

Mushroom Broth

Slightly adapted from Brodo by Marco Canora

5 large onions, peeled

1 t. extra virgin olive oil

2½ lbs. cremini mushrooms, halved

12 celery stalks, scraped and coarsely chopped

6 large carrots, scrubbed and coarsely chopped

2 1/2-ounce packages Melissa’s dried shiitake mushrooms

2 1/2-ounce packages Melissa’s dried porcini mushrooms

5 bay leaves

1/2 bunch fresh thyme

1 T. black peppercorns

Fine sea salt

Cut 2 of the onions in half crosswise. Coarsely chop the 3 remaining onions and set aside. Heat the olive oil in a skillet over high heat. When the oil ripples and the pan begins to smoke, add the halved onions, cut side down, working in batches if necessary to avoid overcrowding the pan and ensure browning. Reduce the heat to medium-high and brown the onions for 4 to 5 minutes without moving them.

Place the browned onions and the rest of the ingredients except the salt in a 16-quart stock pot. Add cold water just to cover. Bring to a boil over high heat and cook for 40 minutes, skimming off any foamy impurities.

Reduce the heat to the lowest setting and simmer for 2 to 3 hours.

Strain the broth through a fine mesh sieve lined with two layers of cheesecloth. Season with salt to taste and allow to cool.

Transfer the cooled broth to storage containers (leaving sediment in the bottom of the pot) and refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months.

Makes approximately 9 quarts. Recipe may be halved.

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Brussels Sprouts Salad

Mr. O-P is not a fan of cruciferous vegetables. Me? I love them, and have since I was a little kid. Perhaps it’s because they are easy to grow and I enjoyed doing that as a youngster (and still do). Or perhaps it is because they are so readily available and are, for the most part, affordable.

While perusing the vegetable bin this morning, I ran across a package of Brussels sprouts. These are the already-roasted-and-vacuumed-sealed sprouts from Melissa’s Produce, the people who like to make things both healthy and easy for you.

I was looking for something different to do with them, when the idea of putting them into a salad occurred to me. As it turns out, it had also occurred to Jamie Deen as well, who made this delicious salad and vinaigrette dressing. It goes together in a breeze when you don’t have to roast the Brussels sprouts, but I found the dressing a bit vinegary for my taste, so added a tablespoon of sugar. I am also not a huge fan of peppery rocket (argula), so used my own mixed greens. Here is my adapted version. 

Brussels Sprouts Salad

Adapted from a recipe by Jamie Deen

1 8 oz. package Melissa’s roasted Brussels sprouts, quartered
5 big handfuls mixed greens
1 Fuji or Gala apple, diced
1 cup red seedless grapes, sliced in half
1/2 cup crumbled feta cheese

Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Simple Vinaigrette

3/4 cup olive oil
1/4 cup red wine vinegar

1 tablespoon Dijon mustard
1 tablespoon minced red onion

1 Tablespoon sugar
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper

Toss together the Brussels sprouts, greens, apples, grapes, and feta cheese in a large salad bowl. Drizzle with about 1/2 cup of the Simple Vinaigrette, and toss once again to combine.

To make vinaigrette:
Place the oil, vinegar, mustard, onion, and sugar into a large jar and shake it vigorously. Taste for seasoning and adjust as necessary with salt and pepper.

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