CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP
This mushroom soup is really creamy and really good. I know thick, cheesy soups can be incredibly comforting in the colder months, but this beef broth base (say that five times fast) does the trick with the help of a can of full-fat coconut milk. It all gets blended at the end to get that fantastic, thick consistency, and it’s finished with a sprinkle of sliced scallions to brighten it up. SERVES 4
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
COOK TIME: 30 minutes
2 tablespoons grass-fed butter
1 large shallot, chopped
3 garlic cloves, chopped
16 ounces mushrooms, roughly chopped
4 cups beef broth
2 dried bay leaves
1 (13.5-ounce) can full-fat coconut milk, refrigerated
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
2 or 3 tablespoons sliced scallions, for garnish
- In a large saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Sauté the shallot and garlic for 2 minutes. Add the mushrooms, and stir. Raise the heat to medium-high, and cook for about 10 minutes, or until the mushrooms start to brown.
- Add the broth and bay leaves to the pan, and bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat to low, and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the cream from the top of the can of coconut milk, and season with salt and pepper.
- Remove from the heat, and carefully purée with an immersion blender (or pour the soup into a blender in batches and purée, holding a clean dishtowel over the lid while blending to prevent potential eruptions).
- Serve with a pinch of sliced scallions.
VARIATION 1 PALEO CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP WITH TRUFFLE OIL: For a really special twist, follow the recipe as written but finish with a tiny drizzle of truffle oil as a garnish. (Truffle oil is pretty expensive but also incredibly potent—even a small bottle will last a long time. It does best without a lot of heat, so add it to dishes once they’ve finished cooking.)
VARIATION 2 HEARTY MUSHROOM CHOWDER: Chop 2 or 3 celery stalks and 4 or 5 carrots, and add them to the shallot and garlic. Add an extra 5 or 6 ounces mushrooms with the broth and bay leaves in step 2. Skip the blending.
