Weekend Entertaining: Any mushrooms will do in this soup

I adore mushrooms, any kind and pretty much any way they are cooked.

Here’s a quick, delicious and affordable Creamy Mushroom Soup with Balsamic Roasted Carrots Parmesan Toasts that is sure to please.

I used button mushrooms because they were on clearance, but any mushroom or a combination of mushrooms will work.

The balsamic roasted carrots are more of a large garnish, and they add a lot of texture and zip to the creamy, earthy flavor of the soup.

If you would like to add a little more bulk or stretch the soup even further, try adding to each bowl a tablespoon of cooked wild or brown rice or even bulgur or barley.

Shelley Baltz received her culinary degree from Johnson Wales University. See more from her at thewrittenkitchen.com or e-mail her at [email protected].

Creamy Mushroom Soup with Balsamic Roasted Carrots Parmesan Toasts

For the carrots:

1 cup quartered baby carrots

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tsp. brown sugar

1 tbsp. good-quality balsamic vinegar

¼ cup water

Salt and pepper

Pinch red pepper flakes

For the toasts:

4 slices French or crusty bread

Soft margarine or butter

Garlic salt

4 tbsp. grated Parmesan cheese

For the soup:

2 tbsp. olive oil

2 tbsp. butter

1 rib celery, minced

1 large onion, minced

1 lb. mushrooms, diced

1 tsp. minced garlic

¼ cup white wine

1/3 cup all-purpose flour

4 cups beef stock

½ cup half-and-half

Salt and pepper, to taste

1 sprig fresh rosemary

Preheat the oven to 450 degrees. Toss all the ingredients for the carrots together in a roasting pan and cook for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally to prevent the vinegar from burning. Meanwhile, place the bread on a lined baking sheet and spread the bread with the margarine or butter, sprinkle with garlic salt, and top evenly with the Parmesan cheese. When the carrots are cooked, set the pan aside. Turn the oven down to 350 degrees and toast the bread. Cut the bread slices in half, when cool enough to handle. In a large soup pot, heat the oil and butter. Add the celery and onion, cooking until soft. Add the mushrooms and garlic, cooking until the mushrooms are limp. Add the wine and cook until it’s absorbed. Add the flour and stir to combine. Add the beef stock and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and use an immersion blender to barely puree some of the soup (you don’t want a completely pureed soup). Stir in the half-and-half and then add the rosemary sprig. Allow the soup to mellow with the rosemary for about 10 minutes. Remove the rosemary, and serve the soup with a garnish of the carrots and a Parmesan toast.

Yield: 2 quarts.

More ideas for suppers and buffets with Bill & Sheila
Soup recipes with Bill & Sheila
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