Creamy Four Mushroom Bisque

After I made that scrumptious Morel Pecan Pate, I was so smitten with mushrooms I just wanted to keep playing with them. Which led me to this mushroom bisque. I had some dried mushrooms in my cupboard from my friend Jon who bought a bunch of dried mushrooms at an Asian market for me “just to play with” .. and also, I had some dried morels from my dad. I used all four mushrooms I had at my disposal: 3 kinds of dried mushrooms and 1 fresh, resulting in a cozy, steamy soup with an intense, complex mushroom flavor.

Yes, this is how I entertain myself on weekends. I find ingredients in my cupboard/fridge/freezer and make them into something. Most of the time it turns out delicious. Sometimes it’s a huge failure (in my mind, anyway) and then I’m sad. Fortunately, that doesn’t happen very often anymore. This soup was definitely a winner. It’s got a very earthy taste. I gave some of this super mushroom-y soup to my friend Jon to sample (since he had given me so many of the mushrooms) and he said the only thing he was wanting was some big chunks of mushrooms in the soup! (I was going for a smooth texture … no chunks.) My mom and dad said it was delicious. My own tastebuds told me it was good too.

You could swap out the specific varieties of mushrooms I used with whatever you have available to you. Morels are highly recommended–fresh or dried. If you use fresh, when you saute them, you’ll get a marvelous liquid after sauteing that will be SO good in the soup! Alas, I only had dried black morels on hand … it’s long past fresh mushroom season here. But the dried ones still lend a beautiful flavor to this creamy, cheesy bisque because you get extra flavor for the soup from the soaking juices.

Creamy Four Mushroom Bisque

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 1 hour
• Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes
• Yield: About 2 quarts of soup 1x

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 oz. dried shiitake mushrooms
• 1/2 oz. dried morel mushrooms
• 1/2 oz. dried black mushrooms
• 1 1/2 cups boiling water
• 2 Tablespoons butter
• 1 medium onion, peeled & chopped (about 1 1/2 cups)
• 3 – 5 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
• 1 lb. fresh baby portabella mushrooms, cleaned & sliced
• 2 stalks celery, chopped
• 1 large carrot, peeled & chopped
• 2 cups beef or vegetable broth
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 – 1 teaspoon dried thyme
• A sprig of fresh rosemary, chopped
• 1 1/2 cups half & half (or fat free half and half)
• 2 oz. Greek cream cheese (or Neufchatel)
• 1 cup shredded aged cheddar cheese (I used Skellig, from Kerrygold)
• Salt & freshly ground pepper, to taste

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Instructions

1. Break the dried mushrooms into chunks in a small or medium mixing bowl and pour the boiling water over. Stir to mix, then cover with a plate and let sit for 15 – 30 minutes to reconstitute the mushrooms.
2. Meanwhile, in a soup pot over medium heat, melt the butter, then add the onion and garlic and saute until the onions are soft and translucent. Add the fresh mushrooms and celery. Cover and cook for a few minutes, stirring frequently, until the mushrooms are soft and juicy.
3. Stir in the carrot and saute a few minutes longer until the carrot is crisp tender.
4. Add the broth, bay leaf, thyme and rosemary along with the reconstituted mushrooms and any liquid from the mushroom bowl. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a simmer and let cook, stirring occasionally, for about 15 – 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.
5. Pour the hot soup mixture into a blender with the cold half & half, cream cheese and shredded cheese. Blend until smooth, then add salt & freshly ground pepper to taste.
6. Pour back into the soup pot to reheat (but don’t let it come to a boil!) Serve hot with a little drizzle of olive oil and shredded cheese. Cheesy garlic toast and a side salad alongside this soup makes for a lovely meal.

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Notes

I used a few dried mushroom strips for garnish in the picture to show what they look like, but I think a bit of shredded cheese would be a better addition, taste-wise.

RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/

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