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Soup on Sunday: Wild Mushroom and Sherry

My husband’s 4oth birthday is the day before Thanksgiving this year. And, seeing as how Thanksgiving isn’t celebrated in the UK, and I am going to combine birthday dinner with Thanksgiving. I have been looking for a good sherry mushroom soup to serve as a first course and this seems to fit the bill. If you know of any other good recipes please do share.

2 Tbs. unsalted butter
2 Tbs. olive oil
1 medium onion, cut into medium dice (to yield about 1-1/2 cups)
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 lb. fresh wild mushrooms* wiped clean, trimmed, and thinly sliced
2 Tbs. plus 1 tsp. fresh thyme leaves
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 cups vegetable broth
1/4 cup half-and-half
3 Tbs. dry sherry
1 Tbs. soy sauce

Melt the butter and olive oil in a 5-qt. or larger stockpot over medium-high heat. Add the onion and cook until it’s beginning to brown (resist the urge to stir too often), about 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute. Add the mushrooms, 2 Tbs. of the thyme, and 1/2 tsp. each salt and pepper; cook until the mushrooms become limp, 2 to 4 minutes.

Add the broth, scraping up any browned bits in the pot with a wooden spoon. Bring to a boil over high heat, reduce the heat to maintain a simmer, and cook until the mushrooms are tender, 7 to 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.

Transfer about half of the soup to a stand blender and process until smooth. Return the mixture to the pot and stir in the half-and-half, sherry, and soy sauce. Add more salt and pepper to taste, if needed, and reheat. Garnish each serving with a small pinch of the remaining 1 tsp. thyme.

Serves 6

*you could use a combination of dried mushrooms that have been reconstituted

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15 Comments

  1. Michaela @ The Gardener's Eden
    Posted 15 Nov ’09 at 11:53 am | Permalink

    Ronda, this sounds wonderful, and very similar to an excellent recipe I have used. The only difference in ingredients seems to be creme fraiche, which I liked, swirled in at the very end before serving. There is nothing like wild mushroom soup.
    Happy Birthday to your husband and a Happy Thanksgiving!
    Michaela

  2. VictoriaArt
    Posted 15 Nov ’09 at 7:47 pm | Permalink

    You know, I am a soup lover, so is my Polish husband… this sounds delicious!
    We love such type of soup creamed….with lot's of parsley!

    XX
    Victoria

  3. La Petite Gallery
    Posted 15 Nov ’09 at 7:57 pm | Permalink

    Happy Birthday! The Soup sounds delightful. Sooo, you are a Texas Gal. I have met so many from Texas
    on the blogs..
    I was in Dallas in Sept. Where did
    you live?
    Anyway enjoy!

    Yvonne

  4. Jaime @ DOXA
    Posted 15 Nov ’09 at 8:24 pm | Permalink

    OMG, that sounds wonderful, mouth is already watering….think I will be making this for my family this holiday:) Thanks!

  5. ALL THE BEST
    Posted 15 Nov ’09 at 8:32 pm | Permalink

    I am Houston girl! Enjoy the soup everyone!
    xoxo

  6. Hampton
    Posted 16 Nov ’09 at 1:40 am | Permalink

    Sounds delicious. Love the addition of soy-will have to try this recipe soon!

  7. Angie Muresan
    Posted 16 Nov ’09 at 2:48 am | Permalink

    Oh Yum!!! I know no mushroom soup recipes, good or otherwise. But I will attempt to make your soup.
    Happy 40th to your husband! May he enjoy many more years in good health, love, peace, and happiness.
    And Happy Thanksgiving to you! Hope it is a lovely, cozy one with your family and friends around what I am certain, is a fabulously set table.

  8. Shannon www.OldWorldCharm.info
    Posted 16 Nov ’09 at 6:22 am | Permalink

    Sounds divine, Ronda. So, your're talented, beautiful and a great cook! Happy birthday to your lucky hubby! :-)

    Shannon

  9. Tina Steele Lindsey
    Posted 16 Nov ’09 at 1:41 pm | Permalink

    Perfect timing, Rhonda! I was just thinking about dinner tonight, and this soup sounds incredible! I am going to try it out! Best wishes for a wonderful celebration! Thanks for making my day!

  10. red ticking
    Posted 16 Nov ’09 at 4:25 pm | Permalink

    sounds delicious!
    i am not sure if you know about the cookbook "the herbal kitchen". it is a tremendous collection of recipes from jerry traunfeld who is a brilliant chef here in seattle. he was chef at the herbfarm restaurant for approx 18 years – you will love his use of organic ingredients in a simple but elegant and way.
    my birthday is 1 day before your husbands.. i love that it is close to such a wonderful holiday… i always know i will be with family and friends… and it sounds like you will make his so special…. as of course you would!

  11. Easy and Elegant Life
    Posted 16 Nov ’09 at 6:45 pm | Permalink

    The only addition I make to the house version here at the Manse is a dash of browning seasoning (like used for roasts.) It darkens and thickens the soup ever so slightly.

    Enjoy the celebration!

  12. Mariss
    Posted 16 Nov ’09 at 7:01 pm | Permalink

    Happy birthday to your husbband. It sounds like a lovely soup. I make this Butternut Squash soup fairly often, and it's very delicious. I like it chunky, but it can bee pureed completely for a starter. http://tinyurl.com/ylgl7jn

  13. Slices of Beauty...
    Posted 16 Nov ’09 at 8:11 pm | Permalink

    Love wild mush, thanks for sharing!
    Happy birthday to your hubby and enjoy the double celebrations.

  14. pve design
    Posted 17 Nov ’09 at 9:36 pm | Permalink

    Do you deliver, I would like to order some right now~
    pve

  15. Bloggers Abode
    Posted 17 Nov ’09 at 11:59 pm | Permalink

    This is so getting made this weekend! Thank you for sharing!!

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