Mushroom Soup with Toasted Bread
Michael Bras purees this lush mushroom soup with bread toasted to a dark brown to thicken the texture and deepen its flavor.
3 slice(s) of sourdough bread, crusts removed
4 tablespoon(s) unsalted butter
1 1/2 pound(s) white mushrooms, coarsely chopped
2 portobello mushrooms — stems discarded, black gills reserved for garnish, caps coarsely chopped
2 large garlic cloves, thinly sliced
Salt and freshly ground white pepper
6 cup(s) vegetable broth or water
3/4 cup(s) heavy cream
12 dill sprigs
-
Preheat the oven to 300°. Bake the bread slices on a baking sheet for
about 1 hour and 40 minutes, until deeply browned. -
In a pot, melt the butter. Add the mushrooms and the garlic; season with
salt and pepper. Cover and cook over moderate heat, until the mushrooms are softened, 5 minutes. Add the broth and 1/2 cup of the cream; bring to a
boil. Cover and simmer until the mushrooms are tender, 10 minutes. -
Add the toasted bread to the soup; simmer until softened, 5 minutes.
Working in batches, puree the soup in a food processor. Return the soup to
the pot, season with salt and pepper and keep warm. -
In a saucepan, bring the remaining 1/4 cup of cream to a boil. Remove
from the heat; whisk until frothy. Ladle the soup into bowls, top with the
frothed cream, garnish with the dill and portobello gills and serve.