Portobello Mushroom - Brie Soup

We're having a meatless week.
I thought this soup was going to be for tomorrow, but made it today instead.

... And by the time this gets published, it might BE tomorrow.

I'm definitely going to keep this one!

Once again, a soup with Sherry. I try to do my part to support my local Sherry farmers. Those pitiable Sherry makers need people to keep them in business. What a cruel and tortured life they must lead. In Spain. On the southern coast. In the Mediterranean. Those poor, poor people! It's sad, really- and I feel like crying just thinking about them.

This soup would be great as a "soup and salad" lunch with crusty bread, as a "light" dinner (which does not mean fat free in this instance), or as part of a multi-course dinner.

However, it is getting a little warm (in my opinion, anyway) for this type of soup.

WARNING: it is very rich! Next time I make it will probably be in the fall. When I do- just so you know- I think I'll be using half and half instead of the cream per the original recipe (let's say I thought about using half and half, but there was none to be found over here and I did not want to go to the store... conveniently enough, there was cream at hand because you MUST have it for the necessary potato gratin on Easter).

I'll probably also throw a few fresh thyme sprigs into the onions when sauteeing (and remember to pull the stems out before serving the finished soup).

The original recipe calls for almost double the butter and brie. "Yes, good!" some of you might say- but it's not always what you're looking for. Some of the numbers/proportions/sizes have been played with (for instance, I usually find that butter in many recipes can be reduced quite a bit), but I think it turned out really well.

Don't let the monstrously huge mushrooms scare you (grrr).

Chop the mushrooms as finely as you wish or use something smaller if you would like. Just so you know though, portobellos have such a great meaty flavor. To use the mushrooms, wash, break the stem off at its base, and chop both stem and cap.

The original recipe was found in the St. Louis Post Dispatch. This particular recipe is an adaptation of the original- Tea Room in the Valley's Mushroom-Brie Soup.

If you're looking for mushroom broth, it can be found at Whole Foods.

Portobello Mushroom - Brie Soup

8 (1 c) servings

4 T butter, divided

1 lb portobello mushrooms (or assorted mushrooms), chopped

4 oz brie cheese

1 lg onion, chopped

2 1/2 T flour

2/3 c Sherry

4 c mushroom broth (or vegetable or chicken)

1 medium potato, shredded

1 shallot, finely diced

4 oz shredded Swiss cheese

1 c heavy cream (*or half and half)

1 T fresh chopped chives, scallion, or parsley

kosher salt

fresh ground black pepper

In large saute pan, melt 2 T butter over medium-high heat. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring constantly until softened and fragrant. Set aside

Remove and discard rind from brie. Dice and set aside to come to room temperature.

In large saucepan over medium heat, melt the last 2 T butter and add onion, stirring frequently until translucent, about 5 minutes. Whisk in flour, cook and stir about 5 minutes until flour (making a roux that will thicken the soup). Whisk in Sherry and simmer about 5 minutes (try to scrape any residual flour off the bottom of the pan) until Sherry reduces and thickens with the onion/flour mixture.

Stir in mushroom broth, potato, shallot, brie, Swiss cheese, cream, chives, 1 t salt and several grinds of pepper. Stir in sauteed mushrooms. Simmer until potato is tender and soup is heated through, 10-20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Sprinkle with extra parsley or chives for garnish.