Good, but a lot of work. 9 September 2011 It needed a little sweet note, so I added some honey. It did not need any salt or pepper. I halved the recipe. The recipe and commentary is at: http://www.foodfixe.com/foodfixe/2008/10/roasted-eggpl-1.html#more

A sachet is a chesecloth bundle filled with aromatic ingredients used to flavor stocks, sauces and other liquids. The advantage of using a sachet is that it will allow the ingredients to infuse the hot liquid without small bits of unwanted material being left behind for you to fish out later. Examples of sachet ingredients are peppercorns and bay leafs, fresh herbs and garlic, etc.
To make a sachet simply cut a small square of cheese cloth , place the ingredients in the center and a bundle the edges together like a coin purse. Tie with a long piece of Butcher’s twine. Tie one end of the twine to the handle of the pot so the sachet can be easily retrieved when needed.

I used Navy beans, and about 8 small carrots, and farfelini. I used Progresso Chicken broth, not low-sodium, and did not need any salt and pepper.
From the slow-cooker book

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.