Creamy Mushroom Soup with Brandy and Sage
Today we’re making wild mushroom soup, inspired by a dish from the Jean Bonnet Tavern in Bedford, PA. I knew instantly upon tasting their soup that I had to try to replicate it myself. While I don’t think I’ll quite put ole Jean Bonnet out of business, this soup is a very close “dupe.”
Unlike the previous name states, I wouldn’t consider the mushrooms I used in this soup to be “wild” by any means. They came from the grocery store, which is about as tame as you can get. Domestic mushroom soup doesn’t exactly have the same ring to it, though.
Mushroom soup is also pretty difficult to photograph! It’s certainly not the most photogenic soup I’ve ever made, but what it lacks in beauty it makes up for in flavor!
Creamy Mushroom Soup with Brandy and Sage
DifficultyEasy
Prep time30 minutes
Cook time1 hour
Celebrate cozy season with this delicious mushroom soup!
Ingredients
- 1 large onion, chopped
- ½ stick of butter
- 2 leeks, chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh thyme, finely chopped
- 1 tablespoon fresh sage, finely chopped
- 16 ounces portobello mushrooms, sliced
- 16 ounces cremini mushrooms, sliced
- 4 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced
- 3 tablespoons flour
- ⅓ cup brandy
- 1½ quarts chicken stock
- 2 tablespoons worchestershire sauce
- 1 cup cream
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- 1
In a large pot on medium heat, melt your butter and toss in the onion. Allow to sauté until translucent, stirring frequently to avoid burning.
- 2
Add leeks, herbs, salt and pepper, and your variety of mushrooms and allow to cook until tender. There are a lot of mushrooms here, so this could take the better part of 30 minutes. Then, add in the brandy.
- 3
Once the mushrooms and brandy have cooked down a bit, sprinkle flour over your mixture and stir until there are no lumps of flour. Turn off the heat and rest for 5 minutes.
- 4
To a blender or large food processor, add about half of the mushroom mixture from your pot and pour in at least enough chicken stock to cover it (my blender fit a full quart, so I used that) and blend until smooth.
- 5
Once smooth, return the pot to the heat and pour in the blended mushrooms. Add the remaining chicken stock and stir to combine.
- 6
Bring the pot to a simmer and allow to thicken, stirring intermittently, about fifteen minutes.
- 7
Give the soup a taste and adjust the flavor to your liking. Depending on your preferences, you may find it needs a touch more salt, pepper, sage, or thyme. If you’d like some heat, a dash of cayenne will do!
- 8
When about ready to serve, stir in the cream and simmer for two or three more minutes.
- 9
Serve with a sprinkle of parsley or parmesan. Top with croutons or dip in with a crusty garlic bread.
