TRIPLE-DUTY MUSHROOM SOUP WITH SHERRY, low-dairy & carb, luxury opt, kids' opt

A sophisticated guest-pleasing soup with neither cream nor potato... 

Creamy Mushroom Soup, silky and smooth but without cream or potatoes!
'How did you get this so smooth?  I would never have realised it didn't have any cream.
It made such an enjoyable meal!'  Taster

Nothing matches home-made mushroom soup; thick, creamy and mushroom-y with chunks of meaty 'shrooms punctuating intense savouriness.  If you're looking for a low-fat, low-carb version - no cream or potatoes -  but still offering intense creaminess and thick silky textures, look no further.

67goingon50 has created a sensational Skinny version.  And it suits vegans, pescatarians and meat eaters.

No-cream luxury Mushroom Soup with Sherry contains only a couple of tablespoons of butter; cream is replaced with leftover fibre-rich brown rice to thicken and flavour without raising cholesterol.  

Preparation is  easy and quick; apart from a little chopping, the prep is 30 mins max.   The result is far superior to tinned...there's no metallic taste and no pesky preservatives.

The soup, despite looking so luxurious, is wallet friendly but if pockets are deep, replace some common-all-garden 'shrooms with wild mushrooms.   

The sherry elevates the soup to a higher level but can be replaced with milk for kids.    

The soup works best with the base whizzed to a puree in a smoothie maker/processor (as in the photo) but it can also be served as a chunky hearty almost-stew.

Cost: £2.50 - £3, depending on leftovers
Makes: 2 pints
  
Ingred:

   1 tbsp olive oil
   2 tbsp butter or Vegan substitute

   600gm/21oz (2x300gm packets) mushrooms, chestnut for flavour but white is fine; if pockets are deep, replace some with wild mushrooms  
   juice of one lemon 
   1/3-1/2 tsp dried thyme
  
   approx 2 cups good chicken or vegetable stock (granules are fine)
   1/4-1/3 cup med sherry/white grape juice

   80-100gm/2 3/4-3 1/2 oz cooked brown rice 

   1/2-1 tsp each pepper & salt

   whipping cream (opt) or more stock

   Garnish:
       white of spring onion, finely diced 
       plain unsweetened yoghurt (opt)
       whipping cream (opt)     
       
Method:

1. Heat a large heavy-bottomed pan on high; if the base isn't wide enough the mushrooms will steam instead of browning 
2. Use a damp cloth or paper towel to clean off grit from mushrooms; reserve 150gm/generous 5oz mushrooms
3. Slice the rest thickly.   
4. When pan is very hot, add oil and butter; swirl pan to distribute 
5. Add half the mushrooms; cook until golden brown, remove; add the other half of the mushrooms; cook until golden
6. Return all mushrooms to the pan; add lemon juice and thyme.
7. Add stock, sherry, and rice
8. Bring to a boil; reduce heat slightly, bubble 5 mins
9. Reduce heat to simmer; partially cover with lid, cook 15 more mins.  
10. Check seasoning; add salt and pepper to taste (it will need more salt than normal in 67 recipes)
11. Serve as is, chunky and stew-like.  OR
12. Blitz in a smoothie maker (the result is finer) but fill the container only 2/3 full (A blender can also be used but cover the top with a clean tea towel and hold it down firmly to prevent scalding soup flying everywhere).  
13. Return to pan, keep warm 
14. Remove 2-3 of the smallest of the remaining mushrooms; slice & set aside; these will be used for garnish.
15. Remove stems from the rest; add to soup; chop caps into med dice; add to a very hot pan with a little olive oil and butter; allow to brown;  squeeze in a little more lemon juice, continue cooking until nearly done. Pour with any liquid into a bowl; set aside 
16. Meanwhile, add a bit more butter to the pan, then the sliced mushrooms you set aside earlier; brown them on one side only then toss until all liquid has been released; these will be used for garnish
17. Deglaze pan by pouring in a little stock or sherry and scraping at the bottom to get all the flavour; add with other mushrooms & liquid to soup 
18. If soup is too thick, add more stock & sherry or milk 
19. Garnish soup with plenty of finely diced spring onion & a few fried mushrooms slices
20. Serve with Memorable Crunchy Croutons (opt)

Comments:
'I liked this and would never have guessed it didn't have cream or potatoes.  How did you get it so smooth?  I had it with four slices of toast and potato salad and it was a very nice meal.' Political Agent

Tips:

• To make the dish protein-rich, add shredded cooked meat like ham hock or chicken or cooked prawns  Or serve with Ultra Skinnier Cheese Toasts which will use up cheese scraps and stale bread
• for kid's option, replace sherry with dairy or plant milk 
• replace cooked brown rice with a handful of raw washed white rice 

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This recipe has been developed by B  Lee/ Bright Sun Enterprises and may not be reproduced, in any form, without the author's written permission.