The Husband Cooks Wednesdays

Regular readers know that that today is The Husband Cooks Wednesdays and even though we’re on vacation, today is no exception, albeit with a slight twist. I am featuring a Guest Husband tonight, Robert from White Trash BBQ is writing his take on The Husband Cooks Wednesdays … still a husband, just not mine. ;) His Cream of Mushroom soup recipe sounds delicious. Although we have a house favorite, I’ll definitely be giving Robert’s version a try. What follows below is Robert’s post. And in a two-for-one deal, my regular post is above. Thanks for tuning in…

I’m honored to be asked to be Sweetnick’s Guest Husband this week while she and her family are off on vacation. For those of you who don’t know me, my name is Robert Fernandez and you’ll find my blog at White Trash BBQ. I write mostly about my adventures in the world of competitive barbecue, but I do stray into other topics as well.For my first Guest Husband spot, I’m giving you all a chance to try out one of my daughter’s favorite recipes. She and I have created and tweaked this over the years and cook it whenever we’re in the mood for a vegetarian dish.

Cream of Mushroom Soup
Soup is a comfort food and Cream of Mushroom soup is one of the comfort foods my family returns to on a regular basis. This soup is easily a meal in itself, but I usually serve it with garlic bread and a small spinach salad. I came from a large family, so when I cook, I usually make a lot more than I need. This recipe will easily serve twelve, but it can be halved and freezes well. I hope you like it.

2 (10 oz.) packages of mushrooms (try to mix it up; I usually use one package of white button mushrooms and one package of exotics)
2 stalks of celery
1 medium onion
1 stick of butter (I use unsalted, but it’s your preference)
6 tablespoons of Brandy, Sherry or a good Red Wine (don’t use that nasty “cooking” stuff; use liquor you would actually drink!)
6 tablespoons flour
2 tablespoons minced garlic
4 (14 oz.) cans of broth or 56 oz. of homemade stock (I usually mix it up between chicken and vegetable stocks. If you want to make this a vegetarian meal, use only vegetable stock.)
16 oz. water
1 Pint Heavy or Whipping Cream
4-6 oz. of cream cheese
Salt and Pepper to taste

Roughly chop onion, celery and mushrooms. Melt butter in a large non-reactive soup pot. Add celery and onion. Saute until onion is translucent. Add garlic and mushrooms. Saute until mushrooms are reduced and have released their juices. While stirring constantly, slowly add the flour, one tablespoon at a time. You will be making a roux of the flour, the butter, the mushroom juices and the mushrooms. Let the roux cook for a few minutes until the flour is light brown. Add the brandy, sherry or wine. Slowly add the broth and water. Stir and mix well. Bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer. Cover pot and simmer for about 45 minutes. Mix in heavy or whipping cream; simmer about 5 minutes until the cream is hot. Remove from heat and process soup in a blender, or use a stick mixer right in the pot. Whisk in the cream cheese. Return to heat and heat gently for about 10 minutes. Do not boil. Add salt and pepper to taste.

PRINT