Cream of Mushroom Soup

ingredients

6 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 cup yellow onions, diced
1/2 cup celery, diced (optional)
1/2 tsp. garlic, minced (optional)
20 oz. mushrooms (button or mixture of button, cremini, oyster etc), cleaned and sliced
2 tsp. fresh thyme leaves or 1/2 tsp. dried
1 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. freshly ground black pepper
2 Tbsp. all-purpose flour
6 cups chicken stock
1 1/2 cups heavy cream (or 10% cream or whole milk for a lighter soup)

method

In a large pot, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Add the onions and celery and cook, stirring, until soft, about 4 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 30 seconds. Add the mushrooms, thyme, salt, and pepper. Cook, stirring, until the mushrooms start to brown, about 7 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring constantly for about 45 seconds to a minute. Add the stock and stir while returning to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, for 15 minutes.

*If you like your soup with whole mushroom pieces in it, as I do, skip this step. Your can also just remove a bit to puree and leave the rest with whole mushrooms, which is also nice).

Remove from the heat and puree with a hand-held immersion blender, or in batches in a food processor.

Add the cream or milk, return to a simmer, and cook for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and adjust seasoning, to taste.