Creamy Mushroom Soup (adapted from Cook's Illustrated)

By GwennW

Ingredients

• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 6 large shallots , minced (about 3/4 cup)
• 2 small cloves garlic , minced (about 1 1/2 teaspoons)
• 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg , freshly grated
• 2 pounds white button mushrooms , wiped clean and sliced 1/4 inch thick
• 3 1/2 cups chicken stock or canned low-sodium chicken broth
• 3 cups hot water
• 1/2 ounce dried porcini mushrooms , rinsed well
• 1/3 cup dry sherry or Madeira
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2 teaspoons lemon juice from 1 lemon

Details

Servings 6

Preparation

Step 1

Melt butter in large, heavy-bottomed Dutch oven over medium-low heat; when foaming subsides, add shallots and saute, stirring frequently, until softened, about 4 minutes.
Stir in garlic and nutmeg; cook until fragrant, about 1 minute longer. Increase heat to medium; add sliced mushrooms and stir to coat with butter. Cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release liquid, about 7 minutes.

Reduce heat to medium-low, cover pot, and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and mushrooms have released all liquid, about 20 minutes. Add chicken stock, water, and porcini mushrooms; cover and bring to simmer, then reduce heat to low and simmer until mushrooms are fully tender, about 20 minutes longer.

Using an immersion blender, blend soup until smooth (or you can use a traditional blender).

Stir in Madeira and cream and bring to simmer over low heat. Add lemon juice, season to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be cooled to room temperature and refrigerated up to 4 days.) If making ahead, add cream at serving time.