[drgenie]

....for Diablita!<br><br>
I made this last night and won't even tell you how much I ate. It's my very favoritest mushroom soup, nice and thick. I use 1% milk and fat free half and half instead of heavy cream to make it healthier. I skip the parsley because I don't really like it and I usually use wheat breads because they give a slightly sweeter overtone to the soup. I add the bread slices one at a time and don't really measure the milk and stuff, because I cook by "feel" but here's their recipe.<br><br>
Source: The Soup Bible, Debra Mayhew. There are a LOT of great vegetarian soup recipes in this book! If you're a soup eater like I am, it is a must-have.<br><br>
Mushroom & Bread Soup with Parsley<br><br>
6 tbsp unsalted butter<br>
2 lbs portabella mushrooms, sliced<br>
2 onions, roughly chopped<br>
2 1/2 cups milk<br>
8 slices bread (I have also used leftover wheat rolls)<br>
4 tbsp chopped fresh parsley<br>
1 1/4 cups fat free half and half (original recipe says heavy cream)<br>
salt and fresh ground pepper to taste<br><br>
Melt butter. Add the mushrooms and chopped onions and saute for about 10 minutes until soft but not brown. (If the butter isn't quite enough I sometimes add a little bit of broth to help them soften) Stir in the milk. tear the bread into pieces, drop into the soup and leave to soak for about 10 minutes. Puree the soup and return to the pot (I use a hand blender right in the pot). Add 3 tbsp of the parsley, the half and half, and salt/pepper. Reheat without boiling. Serve garnished with the remaining parsley.<br><br>
This soup rocks!!!!

 

[diablita]

This sounds INCREDIBLY delicious, Genie. Thanks so much for posting it! About how many servings does it make? I try to avoid using that much butter in soups; in fact, my MIL's soup recipes are loaded with oil or butter and I always have to reduce it.<br><br>
And I'm going to look into that book. My DH would be happy to eat nothing but soups.

 

[drgenie]

Hmm....I just checked the book....the recipe says 8 but I don't think it makes quite that much, although it does taste creamier the next day so leftovers are not a bad thing. I had some for lunch today and it was awesome. It reheats well too.<br><br>
You're right about the butter, I think I had a three-tbsp chunk left over and used that, which is why I needed to use the broth because it was too dry to saute with. Sorry about that.....3 was just fine with the added broth. I don't usually use that much either. But then again, I rarely measure exactly, I sorta use recipes as guides and just throw stuff in and taste/feel til I get them the way I want them. All the women in our family cook that way. I hope you guys like it....I work in an area filled with mushroom farms so I get them fresh picked and make this often because it is so easy and fast. You should definitely check out the book, if I remember correctly, I think Philip eats meat? There are a good amount of meat and fish-using recipes in there too. It's not strictly veg but there are a lot of meatless recipes in it.

 

[diablita]

Genie, this was really delicious! I added a good bit of broth (maybe 1/4 - 1/2 cup broth), used nonfat milk and only 7 slices of bread (crusts cut off) which I may further reduce next time. I also added a dash of fresh nutmeg; that just put it way up on the deliciousness scale!

 

[drgenie]

I'm so glad you liked it! It's my favorite mushroom soup. I play it by ear with the bread, or rolls, or whatever I have around. That's why I add one at a time and stir in so I can test the consistency before I add too much. I'll have to try the nutmeg, that sounds good too.<br><br>
It was SO much better today for lunch, it gets creamier when it sits overnight. YUMMY! I can't wait to make more.

 

[seattlegirl]

Yet another reason why I need a hand blender.

 

[altoids]

Get one! Totally worth it!

 

[witchypoo]

yes; make certain to buy one with a nice strong motor. mine does not like being used at high speeds for a long time. even when i "pulse" the damned thing.