Mushroom Soup

[shipperx]

Finished eating the mushroom soup that I made Sunday evening. It was quite nummy and worth making again.

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1 pound portobello mushrooms, stemmed, dark gills removed, caps cut into 3/4-inch pieces (I used cremini which... same dif. :shrug:)

1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps cut into 3/4-inch pieces

6 tablespoons olive oil

3 cans (or more) vegetable broth (I used chicken broth)

1 1/2 tablespoons butter

1 onion, chopped

5 garlic cloves (3 for roasting, 2 to be minced)

1/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons Madeira(I didn't have any so I used 2 tbs brandy and reduced 1/4cp white wine vinegar. I'm betting sherry could also be used. Note: vinegar must be cooked down by at least half -- but preferably more- while sauteeing the onions to prevent curdling the cream)

3 tablespoons all purpose flour

1 cup whipping cream

1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme

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Preheat oven to 400°F. Line baking sheet with foil. Drizzle mushrooms and 3 garlic cloves with 3 tablespoons oil. Sprinkle generously with salt and pepper; toss to coat. Cover with foil. Bake mushrooms and garlic cloves 30 minutes. Uncover and continue baking until mushrooms are tender and still moist, about 15 minutes longer. Cool slightly. Puree half of mushrooms and all 3 garlic cloves with 1 can broth in blender until smooth. Set mushroom puree aside.

Melt butter in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add onion and 2 cloves minced garlic and sauté until onion is tender, about 8 minutes. Add Madeira [brandy and white wine vinegar] and simmer until almost all of liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Add flour; stir 2 minutes. Add 2 cans broth, cream, and thyme. Stir in remaining cooked mushroom pieces and mushroom puree. Simmer over medium heat until slightly thickened, about 10 minutes. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. (Can be made 1 day ahead. Cool slightly, then cover and refrigerate. Bring to simmer before serving, thinning with additional broth if necessary.)