Cremini Mushroom Veloute Soup

This soup is super simple to make and looks like it took all day to prepare.  Dress the soup with a light drizzle of heavy cream for an elegant touch.

Ingredients:

• 2 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1/2 medium Spanish onion, finely chopped
• 3 celery ribs, finely chopped
• 1 pound cremini mushrooms, sliced
• 1 tsp dried thyme
• 1/2 tsp each salt & pepper
• 2 tbsp dry sherry or Marsala
• 16 ounce can of beef broth
• 32 ounce can vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup heavy cream + 6 tsp of heavy cream for garnish (optional)

Directions:

1. In a heavy saucepan, sauté the onion and celery in the oil for 5 minutes over medium heat.
2. Add the mushrooms to the vegetables and stir mixture.  Add thyme, salt and pepper and cook for 5 minutes until all the vegetables are softened.
3. Add the sherry or Marsala, the beef and vegetable broth and simmer for 45 minutes.
4. Add the 1/2 cup cream and heat up for 2 minutes.
5. Working in 2 batches, add the soup to a blender and puree until smooth, about 1 minute.  ***Be sure to remove the small venting cap from the blender to allow steam to come out and place a kitchen towel to cover the opening.   Return the pureed soup to a clean saucepan and gently heat for 2 minutes.
6. To serve, warm 6 tsp cream in a small bowl in the microwave for 30 seconds.  Ladle soup into bowls then drizzle 1 tsp warmed cream onto the soup in each bowl (optional).

Serves 6 as a starter or 4 as a main course.

Note: Can’t find cremini?  Replace with chopped portabella or white mushrooms.  For extra richness, add 3-4 veal neck bones to the onion and celery when sauteeing.