Happy Sunday everyone! How excited are you for our new space?!? I for one, can not wait to be ALL up in there! Huge thanks to Eric and Melissa for creating such an absolutely fabulous space for all of us! As I’ve said before, I love to cook. Weather like we are having today always makes me think soups and stews. Rich, earthy, savory, creamy, robust creations that you can ladle heavily into a deep bowl, snuggle up on the couch in a blanket and love life. You feel me? So, here is one of my family’s favorites.
Ingredients:
Porcini Mushrooms (dried – I used Lucinda’s) reconstituted in water for 1 hour, then rough chop
Crimini Mushrooms (a dozen roughly) – rough chop
Portabella Mushrooms (2 large caps) – rough chop
Sausage (I used 1 package Sage and 1 package regular breakfast sausage)
Fresh Sage – 2 sprigs, roughly 8 leaves – rough chop
Fresh Thyme – 5-7 sprigs – rough chop
Shallots (3) – chop
Sweet Yellow Onion – ¼ – chop
Butter – 6 tablespoons
EVOO – a drizzle
Salt and Pepper – to taste
Nutmeg – just a sprinkle
Sherry Cooking Wine – ¼ Cup
Marsala Cooking Wine – ¼ Cup
Worcheshire Sauce – 4 teaspoons
Arrowroot – 4 Teaspoons (or so… depending on how thick you want it)
Beef Stock – 3 cups
Chicken Stock – 3 cups
Organic Heavy Whipping Cream – ½ Cup (not required, but seriously, if your tummy won’t hate you, DO IT)
Method:
· In a Dutch oven or large soup pot melt 4 tablespoons of butter. Add your chopped shallot and onion – sprinkle with salt and pepper. Let that cook while you are chopping your mushrooms – don’t let your onion/shallot mixture brown. That, would be a sad day.
· Add your sausage, and drizzle it with a bit of EVOO. Cook that awhile till your sausage is browned, take your time and separate the sausage into smaller chunks, or not, you can leave them big – whatever floats your boat.
· Add your mushrooms. This will appear to be the largest amount of mushrooms the world has ever seen – it is not. They will cook down, your soup needs them. Drizzle this mixture with another bit of EVOO. Sprinkle with salt, pepper and nutmeg.
· When your mushrooms have cooked down, add your Sherry and Marsala cooking wine, as well as your Worcheshire sauce. Let it cook a minute or so… add your Arrowroot. Incorporate the Arrowroot throughout the mixture – you will notice that it becomes thicker – this is good.
· Add your stock. Simmer for 10-15 minutes. In the last 5 minutes, add the heavy whipping cream, mixing it throughout the soup. Right before you serve it, add your last 2 tablespoons of butter. Lightly stir to incorporate it throughout….
· Taste it… Does it need more salt? Pepper? Perhaps another dash of Marsala or Worcheshire? Go with your gut, and add what you need to it… then… serve. Savor. Enjoy.
This soup is even better the following day. I hope you love it! BOOM!
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