Skinny Cream of Mushroom Soup

There’s just nothing more comforting than a hot crock filled with woodsy, warm cream of mushroom soup. This recipe was adapted from Central Market’s 20th Anniversary Cookbook. Chef Sarah Hooton, Manager of the Central Market Cooking School in Fort Worth, and I cooked up a steming hot pot of this family favorite.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Adapted from Central Market’s signature recipe. Serves approx. 6-8 people

Ingredients

1 lb. white button mushrooms

1 lb. Baby Bella mushrooms

1 T canola oil

1 small yellow onion, chopped

1 rib celery, chopped

3 cloves garlic, minced

1 bay leaf

3 sprigs fresh thyme

2 T all purpose flour

6 C mushroom stock

1 ½ C fat free half & half (a healthier choice than heavy cream)

1/3 C chopped chives or parsley

Salt & Pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Heat oil over medium heat in 2-quart saucepan.
2. Add the onions, celery, garlic, mushrooms and bay leaf. Sauté for 1-2 minutes until vegetables begin to sweat.
3. Cover with lid and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add a little water if vegetables begin to stick.  Add flour to the vegetable mix and stir constantly until flour is absorbed.  Cook over medium heat for another 2-3 minutes to cook out the flour taste.
4. Add broth about 1 cup at a time, stirring constantly so that the base absorbs the broth.
5. Cover and gently simmer for 20 minutes.
6. Turn off heat, remove the bay leaf and add the fat free half and half.
7. Taste and add salt and pepper if desired.
8. Puree soup in a blender, or with a stick blender, for a smooth texture or serve chunky.
9. Serve with garnish of chopped chives or parsley.

A huge variety of mushrooms can be found at Central Market