Rich Mushroom Soup

This smooth and satisfying soup can also be made with 2% milk rather than 1% and half-and-half. Any combination of fresh mushrooms works just fine.

Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 cup)

Ingredients

• 2  tablespoons  all-purpose flour
• 1  cup  boiling water
• 1  cup  dried porcini mushrooms (about 1 ounce)
• 2  teaspoons  butter
• 1 1/2  cups  chopped onion
• 2  teaspoons  chopped garlic
• 2  teaspoons  finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1/4  teaspoon  salt
• 1/4  teaspoon  freshly ground black pepper
• 6 1/2  cups  thinly sliced shiitake mushroom caps (about 1 pound mushrooms)
• 2  (8-ounce) packages presliced button mushrooms
• 4  cups  fat-free, less-sodium chicken broth
• 1  cup  1% low-fat milk
• 1/2  cup  half-and-half
• 1/4  cup  dry sherry
• Chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley (optional)

Preparation

Place flour in a small skillet over medium-high heat; cook 2 minutes or until flour turns light brown, stirring constantly. Transfer the flour to a small plate; cool.

Combine boiling water and porcini mushrooms in a bowl; cover and let steep 20 minutes. Strain porcini mushrooms through a sieve over a bowl, reserving the soaking liquid. Chop the mushrooms.

Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion; sauté 5 minutes or until tender. Add garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper; sauté 30 seconds. Add shiitake mushrooms; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add button mushrooms; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly. Add chopped porcini mushrooms and broth to pan.

Combine reserved porcini soaking liquid with toasted flour, stirring with a whisk, and add to pan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes. Add milk; simmer 10 minutes, stirring frequently. Remove from heat; stir in half-and-half and sherry. Place 2 cups soup in a blender; process until smooth. Return pureed soup to pan. Warm soup over low heat for 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Divide soup among each of 8 bowls, and sprinkle with parsley, if desired.

Nutritional Information

Calories:

114 (24% from fat)

Fat:

3.1g (sat 1.8g,mono 0.9g,poly 0.1g)

Protein:

7.1g

Carbohydrate:

13.3g

Fiber:

1.9g

Cholesterol:

11mg

Iron:

1.9mg

Sodium:

341mg

Calcium:

72mg