CREAM OF SHIITAKE MUSHROOM SOUP

BOUQUET GARNI——- :Tie in cheesecloth, 6 Fresh parsley stems, 1/2 ts Dried leaf thyme 1/2 Bay leaf ——–SOUP, CON’T——– 4 tb Rice flour -(or barley or oat flour) 4 tb Cold milk (about) 8 oz Shiitake mushrooms ——-OPTIONAL——- 6 tb Heavy cream 2 tb Madeira Reserved mushroom slices This rich, earthy soup has but 100 calories per serving if made with non-fat milk. PLACE THE MILK, ONION, peppercorns, salt and bouquet garni in a saucepan and bring slowly to a boil. Form a smooth paste of the rice flour and the cold milk. Put into the just-boiling milk and stir briskly until there are no lumps. Simmer over very low heat for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, cut off the tough ends of the mushroom stems. Reserve a few mushroom slices for garnish and chop the remaining mushrooms coarsely, then place in a food processor with a steel blade and chop as finely as possible. Strain the milk mixture through a fine sieve back into the saucepan; add the chopped mushrooms and continue simmering 5 minutes. Add the cream and Madeira, if you wish, and serve in hot bowls, garnished with a slice of mushroom. —– Archive January 2010 December 2009 July 2009 June 2009 April 2009 March 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008