Cream of Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

First mushroom batch

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 12 ounces mushrooms (cremini or button), sliced ⅛-inch
• 1 small yellow onion (about ½ cup chopped)
• ¼ cup chopped green onions (added late)
• ½ cup small-diced celery
• 2 tablespoons beef base (or 4 cups beef broth + 4 cups water in step 3)
• ½ teaspoon garlic powder
• ½ teaspoon black pepper
• ½ teaspoon celery salt
• 2 tablespoons dry sherry
• 8 cups water (or 4 cups water + 4 cups beef broth)

Roux

• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• ¼ cup all-purpose flour

Finish

• ¾ cup heavy cream
• 8 ounces additional sliced cremini mushrooms, for texture

Instructions

1. Sweat the first mushrooms. In a large stockpot or Dutch oven, melt 4 tablespoons butter over medium heat. Add the 12 ounces sliced mushrooms, onion, celery, beef base, garlic powder, black pepper and celery salt. Cook 8 to 10 minutes, until the mushrooms release their juices and the onion is translucent.
2. Add green onions and sherry. Stir in the green onions and sherry; cook 1 minute more. (Adding green onions late keeps their bright color.)
3. Add water. Pour in the water (and broth, if using). Bring to a simmer; cook 30 minutes.
4. Make the roux. Meanwhile, in a small saucepan, melt the second 4 tablespoons butter. Whisk in the flour; cook 5 minutes over low heat — pale and nutty.
5. Thicken the soup. Slowly whisk the roux into the simmering soup in small additions. Whisk until smooth and slightly thickened, about 5 minutes.
6. Finish with cream and fresh mushrooms. Stir in the heavy cream and the additional 8 ounces of sliced mushrooms. Heat through 4 to 5 minutes — the second batch should still have a little tooth.
7. Taste and adjust. Add salt and pepper as needed. Serve hot.

Chef’s Tips

• Two batches of mushrooms is the soul of this soup. The first batch dissolves into the broth for flavor; the second adds texture. Skip it and the soup goes flat.
• Beef base in a mushroom soup? Yes. It deepens the umami without tasting like beef. Don’t swap in chicken base (too light) or vegetable base (too floral).
• Sherry is non-negotiable. It’s only a couple of tablespoons, but it lifts the whole pot. Use dry sherry, not cooking sherry.
• Variations: a tablespoon of fresh thyme; a tablespoon of brandy to finish; or a wild-mushroom mix (chanterelles, shiitakes, hen-of-the-woods) for a special occasion.
• Pair with a crusty roll and a glass of pinot noir.
• Scaling: halves and doubles cleanly. This one is from my restaurant days, where it ran as a 3-gallon batch; this is the home-pot version.

Storage & Make-Ahead

• Keeps 3 to 4 days in the fridge.
• Reheat gently — don’t boil after adding cream.
• Doesn’t freeze well.

From Ernie’s Kitchen