Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

• 1 pound  mushrooms, sliced
• 2 shallots or 1 onion, rough chopped
• 2 cloves of garlic (crushed with side of knife)
• 2 tablespoons sherry cooking wine (a good splash!)
• 1 quart chicken/vegetable stock
• ½ cup Heavy Cream
• 2 Tbsp Butter
• Salt and Pepper to taste
• Crispy bacon and parsley for garnish

Directions:

1. In a heavy bottom pot, like a Dutch oven, sweat the shallots and garlic in butter over medium heat. Season with salt & pepper.
2. Once the shallots are translucent, add mushrooms (keep about 4 tbsp of mushrooms aside for later) and increase the heat to medium-high. Season again with salt & pepper. Add a bit of butter and be sure to continually stir the mushrooms to prevent from burning—but it’s good to let them get a little color.
3. Once the mushrooms stop steaming a lot, remove from heat and add the sherry. Let the sherry reduce by half.
4. Add stock and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Add heavy cream and simmer five more minutes.
5. Blend well with a blender, NOT a food processor. You want to make the soup as smooth as possible. Taste and adjust seasoning.

To serve, ladle into bowls and garnish with sliced mushrooms, parsley and crispy bacon bits for garnish

Enjoy!