Creamy Portobello Mushroom Soup

(from Buster Owens’s recipe box)

This soup is a terrific first course complement to beef, roasted pork, duck, goose, venison, rabbit, wild meat, roasted fowl or lamb dishes. I don’t think it pairs well with most seafood or fish, but who knows. The recipe makes enough for four servings as an entree or six as appetizer. I would recommend doubling the recipe: soups are supposed to feed people, and you can save/freeze leftovers. I found the original recipe in a Cooking Network magazine and played around with it a bit. If you want the soup for a main dish, I would recommend including a salad of greens that lean into the bitter/peppery side: maybe escarole, endive, and romaine along with crunchy, peppery veggies like julienne carrots, cucumbers with radish bits and croutons with a simple vinaigrette. Maybe some toasted Havarti cheese on baguette rounds that first have been brushed with Dijon mustard as a side: food to play against the soup’s richness.

• Use only the white and light green parts of the leeks, remembering to thoroughly rinse any mud from them.
• Two 5” caps are 8 oz. and six medium caps (about 2”) are 6 oz.
• I prefer the Madeira for it’s nutty overtones.
• I doubled the recipe keeping only the 1 C. half-and-half and it was fine.
• If you are doubling the recipe, three 14-1/2 oz. cans of chicken broth works fine.
• Use a center-cut ham steak that has no additional flavorings. I tried pre-cooked diced ham and it was a bit rubbery. Don’t use salt-cured ham; smoked is fine.
• Chop the mushrooms to about ½ inch.
• See Variations with regards to puree.

The soup is great as a puree. Consider making the soup without the puree step; make it as a “rustic” soup: big bits of mushrooms and pieces of leeks. But the broth will need more thickening, which could be handled with a bit of sour cream stirred in at the end and maybe some finely chopped scallions on top as a garnish with a dollop of sour cream.

Prep time: 20 minutes
Cook time: 45 minutes
Serves 6 people

Categories: Soups

Ingredients

  • 4 Tbs unsalted butter
  • 8 oz. ham steak, diced*
  • 4 medium leeks, thin sliced*
  • salt and ground pepper to taste
  • 6-8 oz. Portobello mushrooms*
  • 3 Tbs. flour
  • 3 Tbs. dry sherry or Madeira*
  • 2-1/2 C. chicken broth*
  • 1 C. half-and-half*
  • * see Comments

Directions

  1. Heat large skillet to medium-high, add 2 Tbs butter and sauté ham to but don’t char, about 3-5 minutes, depending upon amount of ham. Remove ham and set aside.

  2. To pan, add another ½ Tbs butter. Add 1C. leeks and salt/pepper to taste. Cook about 4 minutes. Remove and set aside.

  3. Add remaining butter, leeks, and ½ tsp each salt and pepper. Cook to wilt the leeks, about 3 minutes.

  4. Heat large skillet to medium-high, add 2 Tbs butter and sauté ham to but don’t char, about 3-5 minutes, depending upon amount of ham. Remove ham and set aside.

  5. To pan, add another ½ Tbs butter. Add 1C. leeks and salt/pepper to taste. Cook about 4 minutes. Remove and set aside.

  6. Add remaining butter, leeks, and ½ tsp each salt and pepper. Cook to wilt the leeks, about 3 minutes.

  7. Now add the chopped mushrooms and cook until soft, about another 3 minutes. Sprinkle on flour, stir and cook another 2minutes to thicken mixture.

  8. Put the ham and mushroom/leek combination in a soup pot. To the skillet, deglaze with Madeira. Add to soup pot with chicken broth. Bring to boil, reduce to simmer and cook uncovered until mushrooms soft, about 10 minutes.

  9. Puree contents* in small batches and return to soup pot. Whisk in the half-and-half. Top with a small splash (1 oz) of Madeira and stir through. Serve at once.

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