HOW TO MAKE CREAMY MUSHROOM BISQUE

So, what’s the difference between soup, chowder, and bisque? One big difference…soups and chowders are generally a little (or a lot) chunky…bisque is smooth, ie, blended. Some soups and chowders lend themselves to turning into bisque, some not so much.

This Mushroom Bisque recipe starts with bisque in mind. An elegant soup, it has mushrooms, onions, garlic, and stock. Here, I have substituted leeks and shallots for the onions, plus, I added some sherry. After sautéing the veggies, I added the stock and simmered it for 30 minutes. Hit it with the immersion blender, added some cream and a cornstarch slurry and there ya’ go!

A sprinkle of fresh chopped parsley and a little sour cream at service rounds it out. Of course, you can substitute vegetable stock for chicken stock and do the sautéing in olive oil instead of butter and I believe it’s now vegan.

Ingredients:

• 8 ounces mushrooms of your choice (I used white mushrooms)

• 3 tbsp unsalted butter

• 1 medium leek, white and light green parts only, sliced

• 1 medium shallot, sliced

• 2 garlic cloves, sliced

• Kosher salt and black pepper

• 3 cups low-sodium chicken stock

• 1/2 cup dry sherry

• 1 cup cream + 2 tbsp

• 2 tbsp cornstarch

• Chopped parsley

• Sour cream (optional)

Directions:

• In a large saucepan or Dutch oven over medium-low heat, add the butter. When it has melted, add the mushrooms, leeks, and shallots. Saute, stirring for about 5 minutes. Add the garlic and cook another 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.

• Add the stock and the sherry and bring to a boil. Lower the heat, cover, and simmer for 30 minutes.

• With an immersion blender, process the soup until smooth. Add the cream and heat through. Taste and reseason if necessary.

• Stir 2 tbsp cornstarch into 2 tbsp cream then stir into the bisque as it simmers. Allow to thicken for a minute or two.

• Serve with chopped parsley and a small dollop of sour cream.