Creamy Portobello Mushroom Soup
(from Buster Owens’s recipe box)
This soup is a terrific first course complement to beef, roasted pork, duck, goose, venison, rabbit, wild meat, roasted fowl or lamb dishes. I don’t think it pairs well with most seafood or fish, but who knows. The recipe makes enough for four servings as an entree or six as appetizer. I would recommend doubling the recipe: soups are supposed to feed people, and you can save/freeze leftovers. I found the original recipe in a Cooking Network magazine and played around with it a bit. If you want the soup for a main dish, I would recommend including a salad of greens that lean into the bitter/peppery side: maybe escarole, endive, and romaine along with crunchy, peppery veggies like julienne carrots, cucumbers with radish bits and croutons with a simple vinaigrette. Maybe some toasted Havarti cheese on baguette rounds that first have been brushed with Dijon mustard as a side: food to play against the soup’s richness.
• Use only the white and light green parts of the leeks, remembering to thoroughly rinse any mud from them.
• Two 5” caps are 8 oz. and six medium caps (about 2”) are 6 oz.
• I prefer the Madeira for it’s nutty overtones.
• I doubled the recipe keeping only the 1 C. half-and-half and it was fine.
• If you are doubling the recipe, three 14-1/2 oz. cans of chicken broth works fine.
• Use a center-cut ham steak that has no additional flavorings. I tried pre-cooked diced ham and it was a bit rubbery. Don’t use salt-cured ham; smoked is fine.
• Chop the mushrooms to about ½ inch.
• See Variations with regards to puree.
The soup is great as a puree. Consider making the soup without the puree step; make it as a “rustic” soup: big bits of mushrooms and pieces of leeks. But the broth will need more thickening, which could be handled with a bit of sour cream stirred in at the end and maybe some finely chopped scallions on top as a garnish with a dollop of sour cream.
Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Serves 6 people
Categories: Soups
Ingredients
- 4 Tbs unsalted butter
- 8 oz. ham steak, diced*
- 4 medium leeks, thin sliced*
- salt and ground pepper to taste
- 6-8 oz. Portobello mushrooms*
- 3 Tbs. flour
- 3 Tbs. dry sherry or Madeira*
- 2-1/2 C. chicken broth*
- 1 C. half-and-half*
- * see Comments
Directions
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Heat large skillet to medium-high, add 2 Tbs butter and sauté ham to but don’t char, about 3-5 minutes, depending upon amount of ham. Remove ham and set aside.
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To pan, add another ½ Tbs butter. Add 1C. leeks and salt/pepper to taste. Cook about 4 minutes. Remove and set aside.
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Add remaining butter, leeks, and ½ tsp each salt and pepper. Cook to wilt the leeks, about 3 minutes.
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Heat large skillet to medium-high, add 2 Tbs butter and sauté ham to but don’t char, about 3-5 minutes, depending upon amount of ham. Remove ham and set aside.
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To pan, add another ½ Tbs butter. Add 1C. leeks and salt/pepper to taste. Cook about 4 minutes. Remove and set aside.
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Add remaining butter, leeks, and ½ tsp each salt and pepper. Cook to wilt the leeks, about 3 minutes.
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Now add the chopped mushrooms and cook until soft, about another 3 minutes. Sprinkle on flour, stir and cook another 2minutes to thicken mixture.
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Put the ham and mushroom/leek combination in a soup pot. To the skillet, deglaze with Madeira. Add to soup pot with chicken broth. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook uncovered until mushrooms soft, about 10 minutes.
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Puree contents* in small batches and return to soup pot. Whisk in the half-and-half. Top with a small splash (1 oz) of Madeira and stir through. Serve at once.