Recipe: Soup of Many Mushrooms, French Cream of Mushroom Soup

Jean,

I found these 2 recipes on the web. The first one sounds much easier than the second, however, I think the second may be more the type of soup you are looking for. Enjoy!Rustic French Home Cooking
Soup of Many Mushrooms
Travel throughout France and you'll find everywhere large caldrons of home-made soup simmering for hours. As an important part of the French country meal, the soup will likely be accompanied with a hearty bread.

Ingredients
1/2 Cup brandy
2 Ounces dried wild mushrooms
3 Tablespoons sweet butter
1 1/2 Cups onions, chopped
1/2 Pound button mushrooms, finely chopped
1/2 Pound portobello mushrooms, finely chopped
3 Cups chicken broth
Salt and pepper to taste

Soak dried mushrooms in warmed brandy for 20 minutes. Drain, reserving liquid.

Saut onions in butter until translucent. Add button and portobello mushrooms and cook for 15 minutes.

Add the dried mushrooms, soaking liquid and stock and simmer for 30 minutes.

Pur e soup and return to stove adding salt and pepper.

French Cream of Mushroom Soup
This recipe is an adaptation by Sarah Leah Chase of the mushroom soup that is served at the
3-star Restaurant Lameloise in Chagny.

1/2 ounce dried c pes
1 cup dry white wine
2 Tablespoons unsalted butter
1 lb. white mushrooms, wiped clean and coarsley chopped
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
4 cups chicken stock
salt & freshly ground white pepper
2 Tablespoons Cognac
For garnish: snipped fresh chives

Combine the dried c pes and wine in a saucepan and bring to a boil over med-high heat. Simmer for 5 minutes, remove from heat and cool for 15 minutes. Strain through a fine sieve, reserving the liquid. Finely chop the c pes.

Melt the butter in a large stockpot and saut the chopped white mushrooms about 5 minutes. They should just be beginning to give off their juices.

Add the c pes, reserved c pe broth, milk, and cream and bring to a boil, stirring occasionally. Lower the heat and simmer, uncovered for 45 minutes. Stir once and awhile.

Pur e the soup in batches and return it to a large clean pot. Thin with the chicken stock. Season with salt and white pepper and stir in the Cognac. Warm over low heat about 10 minutes.

*Note: Cepes is a type of mushroom.
(I had to look this up!)