Wild Mushroom and Leek Soup with Thyme Creme Fraiche
Wild Mushroom and Leek Soup with Thyme Creme Fraiche
For my 40th birthday, my family treated me to an amazing cooking class in Denver at Stir. It was a great gift because it was something we were all able to do together. Having a house overflowing with stuff and an uncontrollable shopping urge which immediate satisfaction for all my “stuff” needs, experiential gifts are the way to go.
One of the lasting impressions of the class from an eating perspective is the amazing mushroom soup we made. We make it from time to time when we find irresistible mushrooms at the farmers’ market, or even when it’s chilly outside and we feel like soup.
We do our best to get mushrooms into as many dishes as possible so this is a perfect comfort food for chilly nights or rainy afternoons.
Wild Mushroom and Leek Soup with Thyme Creme Fraiche
Ingredients
6 Tbsp unsalted butter*
2 lbs mixed wild mushrooms
3 medium leeks, thinly sliced
2 tbsp flour
1/2 cup white wine
4 cups chicken stock
3/4 cup heavy whipping cream (I used whole milk to limit points)
Salt and pepper
1/2 cup creme fraiche
1 tbsp thyme, minced
Method
1. Melt butter in a large cast iron pot. Once the butter is melted, add the leeks and sauté until tender and the juices have been released and evaporated. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Deglaze the pan with wine and reduce by half. Add chicken stock and simmer for 30 minutes.
2. While the soup is simmering, combine the creme fraiche and thyme in a small bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper and reserve. Using an immersion blender, puree the soup until smooth. Add the heavy cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle the soup into bowls and garnish with a dollop of the thyme creme fraiche.
Sunday, November 20, 2011