Creamy Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

• 1
  
  pound mixed mushrooms, cleaned, stems separated from caps
  
• 1
  
  pound cremini mushrooms, cleaned, stems separated from caps
  
• 1/2
  
  cup minced shallot
  
• 3
  
  tablespoons olive oil
  
• 6
  
  sprigs thyme
  
• 1
  
  sprig rosemary
  
• 
  
  Salt and pepper, to taste
  
• 1/4
  
  cup Cognac
  
• 4
  
  cups rich homemade chicken stock
  
• 1/4
  
  cup whipping cream
  
• 1/4
  
  cup chopped chives
  

Directions

1. Roughly chop the mushroom stems and simmer them, covered, in the chicken broth for about an hour.
2. In the meantime, heat the oil in a large skillet, and sauté the shallots until transparent. Add the herbs and salt and pepper liberally.
3. Beautifully and precisely chop the mushroom caps into a 1/2-inch dice. Add them to the shallots as they are chopped. Keep the heat very low and cook gently until the mushroom liquid is released and reabsorbed. Shake the pan so they don’t stick. Remove the thyme and rosemary.
4. Turn up the heat and add the Cognac. Flame it if you’re feeling really chef-y. Cook the mushroom cap/shallot mixture down (after Cognac) until well-reduced and starting to turn a little golden on the edges.
5. Strain the mushroom stems from the chicken broth.
6. Add the beautiful mushroom cap and shallot mixture to the strained broth and heat gently.
7. Swirl in the cream and chives and serve. Or serve in small sipping cups topped with chives and lightly whipped cream, if you want to get fancy.