Easy Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe

For mushroom lovers, one of the best treats is a simple and smooth cream of mushroom soup recipe. Since there are a wide variety of mushrooms available, be sure to only buy commercially grown mushrooms from a reputable distributer. Leave the mushroom picking to the fungi experts, but retain the soup making culinary skills for yourself.

Cream of Mushroom Soup Recipe

Ingredients You Will Need:
6 cups water
3 vegetable bouillon cubes
3 chicken bouillon cubes
3 cups sliced white mushrooms
2 cups leeks
½ cup wine
3 tablespoons butter
3 heaping tablespoons white flour
1 cup onion rings, sautéed
Parsley

Mix the water, bouillon cubes and sliced mushrooms (toss in a handful of whole mushrooms) in a medium saucepan. Quickly heat to boiling and then remove from the burner and set aside to cool.

In a large skillet, heat the butter and sauté the leeks. Slowly add the flour and cook for another five minutes. Slowly pour in the broth and mushrooms. Add the wine, and bring the mixture to a boil. Boil for one minute. Reduce the heat and let the pot simmer until the mushrooms are tender.

Remove the whole mushrooms. Slice them and place them into a pan of hot butter with the onion rings. Sprinkle with sea salt and freshly ground pepper. Brown the rings and mushrooms until the edges are crispy. Set aside to use as garnish.

Allow the soup to return to room temperature.  Pour the soup into the food processor and puree. Garnish with mushroom slices.

Cooking Mushrooms with Wine
When cooking with wine, remember that the alcohol dissipates as the wine heats. Sulfites are currently the only preservative used that can actually kill a person if that person is allergic to it. Although only a small percentage of the population have sulfite sensitivity, take care when cooking wine or drinking it.

Experts claim that once soup with wine in it is heated thoroughly, both the alcohol and sulfites will have dissipated and only the true flavor of the wine will remain. The one catch: The flavor will be more enhanced. In other words, if you choose a sweet wine, it will become sweeter or more concentrated. Because wine can overpower a dish, it's best to start with a small amount. If ½ cup is too much, use half of that portion next time.