French Mushroom Soup Recipes

CHEF JOHN'S CREAMY MUSHROOM SOUP

Steps:

• Melt butter in a large soup pot over medium-high heat; cook mushrooms in butter with 1 pinch salt until the mushrooms give off their juices; reduce heat to low. Continue to cook, stirring often, until juices evaporate and the mushrooms are golden brown, about 15 minutes. Set aside a few attractive mushroom slices for garnish later, if desired. Mix onion into mushrooms and cook until onion is soft and translucent, about 5 more minutes.
• Stir flour into mushroom mixture and cook, stirring often, for 2 minutes to remove raw flour taste. Tie thyme sprigs into a small bundle with kitchen twine and add to mushroom mixture; add garlic cloves. Pour chicken stock and water into mushroom mixture. Bring to a simmer and cook for 1 hour. Remove thyme bundle.
• Transfer soup to a blender in small batches and puree on high speed until smooth and thick.
• Return soup to pot and stir in cream. Season with salt and black pepper and serve in bowls, garnished with reserved mushroom slices and a few thyme leaves.

FRENCH ONION AND WILD MUSHROOM SOUP

Steps:

• In a heavy soup pot, melt the butter with the olive oil, 2 turns of the pan, over medium-heat. Stir in the onions, bay leaf and thyme. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until the onions are softened and browned, 25 minutes.
• Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, bring the chicken broth, mushrooms and 2 cups water to a boil. Lower the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, remove the mushrooms and slice.
• Preheat the broiler. Pour the sherry into the onions and cook over medium heat, scraping up any browned bits. Stir in the mushrooms and hot broth.
• Toast the bread under the broiler, rub with the garlic and top with the cheese. Broil until melted. Ladle the soup into bowls and serve with the toasts.

FRENCH CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP (POTAGE VELOUTé AUX CHAMPIGNONS) RECIPE - (5/5)

Steps:

• Cook the onions in 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the butter in a large soup pot over moderate heat until tender but not browned. Stir in the flour and cook for 2 minutes. Add the chicken stock, parsley, bay leaf, thyme, and mushroom stems and simmer covered for 30 minutes. Strain the soup through a fine strainer, pressing the mushroom stems to extract as much moisture as possible. Melt 2 tablespoons (30 ml) of the butter in a separate saucepan and cook the sliced mushroom caps, covered, over low heat for 5 minutes. Add the mushroom caps and their cooking juices to the strained broth and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat. Beat the egg yolks and the cream together in a small bowl. Add a little of the simmering broth to the egg mixture and stir well. Add the egg mixture to the soup and stir over moderate heat for a minute or two, being careful not to let the soup come to a boil. Serves 6 to 8.

UNCLE BILL'S FRENCH MUSHROOM SOUP

Steps:

• Rinse both mushrooms in cold water and immediately pat dry with paper towels.
• Cut mushrooms into quarters and then slice thinly, 1/8 inch thick.
• In a large heavy bottom soup pot, melt butter on medium heat.
• Add mushrooms and saute for 5 to 6 minutes or until liquid from the mushrooms has mostly evaporated.
• Sprinkle flour over mushrooms and cook for 1 minute, stirring often.
• Gradually stir in chicken broth, water and chicken soup base and bring to boil, about 5 minutes, stirring often so the bottom does not burn.
• Add thyme, bay leaf and green onions.
• Reduce heat, cover and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Remove bay leaf and discard.
• In a mixing bowl, whisk together egg yolks and whipping cream.
• Slowly add 1 cup of hot broth mixture from the soup pot to the egg/cream mixture, whisking constantly until incorporated. This prevents the egg yolks from cooking.
• Return mixture to the soup pot, adding slowly and whisking all the time while adding.
• Heat over low heat until hot, about 5 minutes.
• Add white pepper to taste.
• Serve soup sprinkled with minced parsley.