French Mushroom Soup

We recently attended another dinner party with our friends. The theme this time was French. We volunteered for the soup course. But I knew I did not want to make the obvious: French Onion Soup. I quickly discovered that it's hard to Google the terms "French soup" without getting overwhelmed with French Onion Soup recipes.

I decided not to go with a bouillabaisse since it seemed more of a spring or summer dish. Instead, I settled on this elegant mushroom soup, combining two recipes I found online.

The soup was a success. You don't need a big bowl since the flour, cream, and butter make it a filling soup. This is a good special occasion soup that can be part of a larger, multi-course dinner. Perfect for the holidays.

French Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

• 1/2 medium onion - minced
• Butter - 1/2 cup
• Flour - 5-6 tablespoons
• 12 cups broth
• Parsley - a few sprig plus some leave chopped for garnish
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 lbs. mixed mushrooms - cremini, shiitake, oyster
• 4 egg yolks
• heavy cream - 1 cup
• white wine - 1 cup
• salt - 1 tsp. or to taste
• white pepper - 1/2 - 1 tsp.
• finishing salt and pepper

Directions:

• Prepare and cook onion in 4 tbsp. butter in a large stockpot over medium heat until soft.
• Add the flour and stir for a few minutes. Do not let it brown. 
• Pour in some of the stock and stir until flour is dissolved. Add the remaining stock.
• Add the bay leaf and parsley sprigs and simmer for 20 minutes.
• Strain the mixture into another stockpot.
• In a large skillet, heat the remaining butter over medium heat. 
• Add the mushrooms and season with salt, pepper, white pepper and cook until they have softened and browned.
• In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks and the cream together. While whisking, add a cup of the simmering soup to the bowl. Add to soup and keep the temperature low so the yolks don't curdle.
• Let it simmer and season to taste.
• Using a slotted spoon, remove about half of the mushrooms to a bowl. 
• Puree the soup with the remaining mushrooms with an immersion blender. Add back the reserved mushrooms and stir to mix.
• Ladle soup into bowls, add a pinch of finishing salt, and garnish with chopped parsley.
• Serves 12.