Mushroom Medley Soup

When I blogged about buying oyster mushrooms in Chicago, I promised I would share my mushroom soup with you when I made it. I got groceries today and picked up cremini and shiitake mushrooms so I could make it.  Since I really don’t have a recipe, I wrote it down as I made it.  I think it turned out wonderful.  I made a little too much so I canned 3 half quarts so I can have soup this winter.

Mushroom Medley Soup

1/2 pound coarsely chopped oyster mushroom

1 pound sliced cremini mushrooms

12 fresh chopped shiitake mushrooms

1/2 of an onion, finely chopped

3 tsp. extra virgin olive oil

2 tsp. finely minced clove garlic

Salt and pepper

4 tsp. fresh thyme or 2 tsp. dried thyme

1 tsp. tarragon (optional)

1 ½  quarts of chicken stock

1 packet of Swanson’s Chicken Flavor

White wine for deglazing (optional)

Sauté your chopped onion in olive oil a frying pan until they are tender.  When tender, add the chopped garlic.  Fry for about 2 more minutes.  Add your 3 mushrooms and let them brown nicely.  Salt and pepper to taste.  Add 1 Swanson Chicken Flavor packet and stir well.  To deglaze the pan, pour in white wine or chicken stock and stir to get the bottom of the pan clean.  I used my homemade chicken stock today.  I always try to keep some in the freezer.

After browning your mushroom, garlic and onion well add the rest of your chicken stock and bring to a low simmer. Add thyme and tarragon.  Let soup simmer for 20 minutes until the stock is full of the mushroom flavor.  Taste and add addition seasoning if needed. 

Serve with garlic and parmesan cheese toast or grate parmesan cheese on top of the soup before serving and serve garlic toast on the side.  It makes a beautiful dark broth and is quite low in calories. 

Variation:  You may add left over roast chicken and make it a chicken and mushroom soup if you like.  You also can add cream and make it a cream of mushroom soup, but I like it simple.  Another variation could be to use beef broth.  Next time I think I will make it with beef both and Swanson's Beef Flavor packet.  It sounds even better now that I give it some thought.  Tweak it anyway you like.  Add more onion for a mushroom onion soup. That is one of the many reasons I love cooking, it gets my creative juices flowing.

Hope you enjoy it.  Be happy and may God bless you and yours.