Recipe Ultra Light Portabella Mushroom Soup

[The Late Night Gourmet]

This soup is all about the mushrooms...the portabella flavor really comes through here. NOTE: the "baby bellas" are small portabella mushrooms that are about the size of white mushrooms. I mostly use these because I wanted to have slices of mushrooms as well as mushrooms in the liquid.

By the way, the soup isn't as terrible as the picture looks. And, I didn't set out to make an ultra light soup: I ran out of half-and-half, otherwise that would have gone in instead of the skim milk. Having said that, the result is delicious.

Ingredients

5 tablespoons light butter
1⁄2 onion, chopped
4 garlic cloves, grated
1 lb portabella mushroom, chopped
1⁄2 lb baby bella mushroom, sliced
1 teaspoon thyme
4 cups vegetable stock
1 cup skim milk
1 teaspoon salt, adjusted to taste
1⁄2 teaspoon black pepper, freshly ground to taste

Directions

1. Heat 4 tablespoons of butter in a pan on medium heat. Saute onions until softened, about 8 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add garlic and thyme, and cook for an additional 2 minutes while constantly stirring.

2. Stir in chopped mushrooms and any fragments from the sliced mushrooms (the best slices of the baby bella mushrooms are reserved for later use). Stir in thoroughly to coat with the contents of the pan. Stir occasionally for 20 minutes, allowing some moisture to evaporate from the mushrooms.

3. Add stock to the pan and lower heat to medium-low. Cook for half an hour uncovered.

4. While the rest of the soup is simmering, melt the remaining tablespoon of butter in a pan and saute the remaining mushroom slices until softened and flavorful. Set aside.

5. Pour contents of the pan into a blender and puree until is achieves desired consistency. Return to the pan and add milk and sauteed mushroom slices. Season with salt and pepper, adjusting to taste.

 

[Francesca]

@The Late Night Gourmet

I am a big Mushroom enthusiast especially Boletus Eduli ..

Sounds and looks great ! The Brown Family of colors, are a difficult color hue to photograph and bear in mind, that this truly looks wonderful ..

October shall begin our mushroom season as it is still too dry and warm yet ..

On my list to do´s when I return home on Friday night or Saturday morning ..

Have a nice day ..

 

[The Late Night Gourmet]

By the way, I decided to skip using flour as a thickener...the recipes that call for it use such a small quantity - maybe 2 tablespoons - that it hardly seemed worth it. I also considered ditching the milk, since I don't think it adds much, but I decided to use it because there's a bit of sweetness, even in a fat-free milk. Next time, I'll also leave out the milk.

 

[Morning Glory]

By the way, I decided to skip using flour as a thickener...the recipes that call for it use such a small quantity - maybe 2 tablespoons - that it hardly seemed worth it. I also considered ditching the milk, since I don't think it adds much, but I decided to use it because there's a bit of sweetness, even in a fat-free milk. Next time, I'll also leave out the milk.

If you want to go super low calorie then use almond milk - I have a recipe somewhere. The plain almond milk is around 26 Kcals for 200ml (less than half that of skimmed milk). It has lecithin added which gives it a creamy taste. I often use it now as my son has gone vegan. Its surprisingly good.

 

[Morning Glory]

@The Late Night Gourmet, its a pity that @Ken Natton seems to have deserted us. It was a quest for mushroom soup which brought him to the Forum, I seem to recall. This recipe might have just predated you joining.

 

[Francesca]

If you want to go super low calorie then use almond milk - I have a recipe somewhere. The plain almond milk is around 26 Kcals for 200ml (less than half that of skimmed milk). It has lecithin added which gives it a creamy taste. I often use it now as my son has gone vegan. Its surprisingly good.

@The Late Night Gourmet & @morning glory,

Yes forget the cow milk, whether it is fat free, low fat or whole milk.

I would consider the use almond milk or organic goat´s milk or a small potato to thicken. I use a small potato in my cardoon soup .. and their is no potato taste .. Just a gorgeous thick texture.



Truly lovely recipe ..

 

[classic33]

@ The Late Night Gourmet, its a pity that @ Ken Natton seems to have deserted us. It was a quest for mushroom soup which brought him to the Forum, I seem to recall. This recipe might have just predated you joining.

It's a bit unfair to say that anyone "deserted" the site. There's no way of knowing why anyone stopped posting, and there can be a multitude of reasons.

Non of which can be confirmed unless they come back to explain why.

 

[Francesca]

It's a bit unfair to say that anyone "deserted" the site. There's no way of knowing why anyone stopped posting, and there can be a multitude of reasons.

Non of which can be confirmed unless they come back to explain why.

Many people change Jobs, relocate or move, have other activities or just do not have the time or get married or find a new relationship or even another Fórum more suited to themselves and their interests ..

I did not know this man and am recently a new member myself ..

 

[Morning Glory]

Apologies to @Ken Natton - I didn't mean 'deserted' in a perjorative sense. I should have said 'isn't around at the moment'. I miss his contributions very much!

 

[The Late Night Gourmet]

My wife tried some of the soup yesterday, and I noticed hesitation when she tried it. I asked her what was wrong.

She said, "It's good, but...."

I said "But what?"

And she replied: "Too many mushrooms"