Cream Soups (Mushroom, Broccoli or Potato)

Cream of Mushroom

Serves 4
1 lb. button mushrooms, sliced
1 pkg. portabella mushrooms, chopped
1 pkg. shiitake or crimini mushrooms, chopped
1 tsp. rosemary, ground
1 medium onion, finely chopped
1 stick butter
flour
1 pint cream
4 cups of chicken broth


Cook the mushrooms and onion in the butter. The mushrooms will produce liquid, continue cooking until the liquid is mostly evaporated. While the mushrooms cook, grind the rosemary to a fairly fine powder with a mortar and pestle. Add rosemary to mushrooms.

Sprinkle the mushrooms with flour, until the flour forms a nice paste and is quite thick. Continue to cook until the flour mixture (the roux) starts to develop a nice golden color. Add cream slowly, and stir until smooth and thick.

Slowly add chicken broth until the soup reaches the desired thickness and consistency. This may take more or less broth, depending upon your taste.

Season, if necessary, with freshly ground pepper.

Broccoli Soup

Cook fresh or frozen broccoli cuts. Drain well. Cook onion in butter, add flour, then cream and chicken broth. Add broccoli last. Season only with pepper.


Potato Soup

Boil potatoes and drain. Dice them while still hot. Cook onion and diced celery in butter, add flour, then cream and chicken broth. Add potatoes last. Season only with pepper. This is also good with bits of ham or bacon (or even carrots) added.

All of these versions will freeze well. Reheat very gently (in a double boiler is preferable) on the stove.