Mushroom Soup {with Cheesy Portobello Crouton}

Here in the sunny south we’ve been experiencing some big weather swings.  Cold one day, hot the next.  Seems that kind of shift leads you straight into flu and cold season.  Yep, that’s right.  About 1/3 of my work family is or has been sick.  The only thing I could think to do was make soup.  Mushroom Soup with Cheesy Portobello Croutons hit the spot.

We had witnessed poor Ania go slowly down hill.  You could see in her face that she just didn’t feel good, but she hung in there, each day hoping that would be the day she would turn the corner and feel better.  When Friday afternoon rolled around I overheard a coworker ask her what would make her feel better.  The answer was soup.  Mushroom Soup.  Note to self, make Ania mushroom soup.

We have a Homemade Cream of Mushroom Soup recipe shared already, yet I had a feeling brothy would be better in this case.  So I sent her a text to confirm.

I wanted to do something especially for Ania.  Since she is a low-carb girl, most often when I’m passing samples around at the office, they aren’t on her plan.  I needed a soup that delivered comfort so I followed our French Onion Soup recipe but replaced the onions with mushrooms.  I had to come up with a replacement for the cheesy pumpernickel crouton.

Welcome the roasted Portobello mushroom cap loaded with Havarti cheese aka Cheesy Portobello Crouton.  If you’re a carb lover like me, feel free to melt that thick slice of Havarti over an even thicker slice of toasted pumpernickel bread.

Yes the cheesy crouton delivers complete comfort, and all those yummy mushrooms will make you smile, but the broth…..

The broth begins with cooking down the mushrooms in butter until they release all their natural juices.  Then fresh thyme, garlic, bay leaf, red wine and Worcestershire sauce build on that goodness.  Once the wine is cooked off, nice rich beef broth is added and the mushrooms simmer.  I’m telling you if layers of flavors had a picture in the dictionary this might just be it.

I delivered a big tub of Mushroom Soup {with Cheesy Portobello Crouton}.  I’m pretty certain Ania perked up after she enjoyed a bowlful for lunch.  Share the Love.  It just feels good.

Mushroom Soup {with Cheesy Portobello Crouton}

Libby with Lemony Thyme

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Prep Time 10 minutes mins

Cook Time 1 hour hr

Total Time 1 hour hr 10 minutes mins

Servings 4 -6

Ingredients

  

For the soup…

• 4 Tbl. butter
• 2 pounds thick sliced fresh mushrooms I used button and baby portobello
• 2 garlic cloves minced
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1/2 tsp. Kosher salt
• 1/4 tsp. freshly cracked pepper
• 1 cup red wine can sub white wine or omit
• 1 tsp. Worcestershire sauce
• 2 Tbl. flour
• 48 ounces beef stock

For the cheesy Portobello croutons…

• 4 Portobello mushroom caps about 4-inch diameter
• 4 thick slices Havarti or Gruyere Cheese
• olive oil
• salt & pepper

Instructions

 

For the soup…

• In a large dutch oven over medium-low heat, add butter and sliced mushrooms. Stir to coat mushrooms in butter then allow to cook untouched for 10 minutes. Stir well, then allow to cook for an additional 5 minutes untouched. Stir, cook another 5 minutes, mushrooms should be releasing their liquid. Continue cooking, stirring every 5 minutes until the mushrooms are tender and have released most of their liquid.
• Add in minced garlic, bay leaf, fresh thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook for an additional minute, then add in wine and Worcestershire sauce. Allow to simmer gently until the wine has absorbed. Remove bay leaf and thyme sprigs, discard.
• Dust mixture with flour and cook slowly for 5-7 minutes. Then add beef broth and simmer 10 minutes.

For the cheesy Portobello croutons…

• Preheat oven to 400 degrees.
• Using a spoon, scrape to remove the gills from the stem side of each of mushroom cap. Brush both sides with olive oil and sprinkle with salt & pepper. Cut a shallow ‘X’ into the top of each cap. Place in baking pan.
• Roast for 15 minutes on one side, then turn over and roast another 15 minutes. Fill each cap with a slice of cheese, then pop under the broiler until lightly browned and bubbly.
• Fill crocks with soup, top with cheesy Portobello crouton. Enjoy!

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