Creamy Mushroom Bisque

She sure isn’t pretty to look at, but she’s a beaut to eat!  I wish I could present you this mushroom bisque with a blindfold, because once you taste it, you’re sure to forget about how blah and, well, brown, it is.

I had a version of this at long-gone restaurant in my hometown and it still causes me shivers when I think about how perfect it was.  Ethereally light and smooth, full of earthy mushroom flavor with a bit of spice at the end…this version comes as close as my memory allows me to get without having that original recipe in front of me!

Dried porcini mushrooms and fresh cremini mushrooms combine to give this a strong, meaty mushroom backbone and light-as-whipped-cream structure when blended.  Shallots, garlic and tons of herbs provide a little extra flavor, while heavy cream makes it completely decadent and (obviously) creamy.  Make sure to thoroughly scrub and clean your mushrooms so you have no grit, and blend to as smooth a texture as you can achieve with your blender…this is not meant to be a chunky soup!

I remember this being served in small servings at the restaurant because it’s so rich and flavorful that you don’t need much…making it perfect for entertaining-or the holidays if you have a crowd to serve.

A little drizzle of crème fraîche and thinly sliced chives gives this a much-needed pop of color to contrast ALL. THAT. BROWN.  I love mushrooms so much that I’m willing to sacrifice the appearance in photos to bring you something delicious.

Creamy Mushroom Bisque

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• Author: Amanda
• Yield: 8 to 10 servings

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Description

Ethereally light and smooth, full of earthy mushroom flavor from porcini and cremini mushrooms with a bit of spice at the end.  Flavored with shallots, garlic and tons of herbs, plus cream and sherry to finish.  This soup is a vegetarian delight for dinner parties or holiday entertaining!

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Ingredients

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• 1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
• 1-1/4 cups hot water
• Olive oil, as needed
• 2 shallots, chopped
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 24 ounces cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 5 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 sprig rosemary
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 to 4 tablespoons dry sherry, to taste
• Cayenne pepper, to taste
• Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

TO FINISH:

• 3 tablespoons crème fraiche
• Splash of heavy cream, to thin

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Instructions

1. In a small bowl, cover the dried porcini mushrooms in the hot water and allow to sit while you prepare the rest of the recipe.
2. Preheat a large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium heat.  Once hot, add about 1 tablespoon of olive oil with the shallots and a pinch of salt.  Sauté for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until beginning to soften and turn translucent.  Add the garlic and cook for another 30 seconds.  Increase the heat to medium-high and add the mushrooms.  Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms begin to soften and give off some of their liquid.  Continue cooking, undisturbed, until the mushrooms are beginning to brown.  The whole process should take about 8 to 9 minutes.
3. In the meantime, drain the mushrooms and liquid through a fine-mesh sieve into a measuring cup.  Reserve the mushrooms.  If desired, you can pass the mushroom liquid through a coffee filter to ensure any dirt is removed.  Add the mushroom liquid, vegetable stock and rehydrated porcinis to the sautéed mushrooms and onions.  Tie the thyme and rosemary together with kitchen twine and add to the pot along with the bay leaf.  Stir to combine everything.  Cover the pot and simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove the herbs and transfer the soup in batches to a blender.  Puree until completely smooth; continue until all of the soup has been pureed.  Return the mixture to the pot and heat over medium-low heat.
4. Add the cream and sherry to the soup and stir together.  Season to taste with cayenne, salt and pepper.
5. Combine the crème fraiche with a little cream to thin to a drizzleable consistency.  Ladle the soup into bowls and drizzle with the crème fraiche mixture.  Sprinkle the minced chives on top.

• Category: Soups/Stews, Vegetarian