August, 2021's Recipe of the Month: Erica Kastner's Homemade Condensed Cream Mushroom Soup

It's been a hot and dry couple of months, and I'm looking forward to fall rains and the fruiting of fungi.   Yes, I am dreaming, but I am also planning and developing a strategy for how to handle all the harvesting that should come with the upcoming moister season. 

How will I deal with the abundant crop that I am forecasting?  Here's one idea for any surplus mushrooms that end up in my kitchen.  And, many thanks to my friend Lynn, who lead me to this particular recipe.

Lynn is crazy about Pioneer Woman and even watched it while we were on a short coastal holiday recently.  "Come and look at what she's cooking now" was heard several times as Lynn watched her TV program.  Of course, I dutifully walked into the rented condo's living room to see what new masterpiece was on display, silently vowing that when I returned home that I would check out the Pioneer Woman website.  After all, a blog that attracts more than 20 million page views a month should certainly hold some cool mushroom recipes to try this fall.

 

And, it does.  I was particularly fascinated with one which originated with Erica Kastner of Buttered Side Up.  We have to share it with you because it really is a treasure.  Imagine stocking your freezer with a homemade condensed cream mushroom soup that is not only simple and quick to prepare but also fulfills expectations.  That's this recipe.  The mixture is great reconstituted for a quick and satisfying lunch or supper, and equally rewarding as a substitute for that canned version that never quite measures up as an ingredient.

 

 

 

Erica Kastner's Homemade Condensed Cream Mushroom Soup

 

1/4 cup butter

6 ounces mushrooms, finely chopped

1/4 cup finely diced onion

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and pepper, to taste

1/4 cup all-purpose flour

1/2 cup heavy cream

1/2 cup chicken broth

• Melt butter in a skillet over medium-low heat. Add mushrooms and onions and sauté until tender, about 8 minutes. Season to taste with salt and pepper.
• Add garlic and cook for 2 minutes. Add flour and cook for an additional 2 minutes. Quickly whisk in cream and chicken broth until smooth. Bring to a boil and boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed.  You want it to be saltier than normal, since this is a condensed soup.
• Allow to cool slightly before transferring to a jar or freezer-safe container. Once soup is completely cool, you can store it in the refrigerator or freezer.
• To reconstitute, add 1 1/2 cups of liquid, such as chicken broth, milk, water, or a combination.
• Note: A 10 3/4-ounce can of condensed mushroom soup is about 1 1/4 cups. This recipe makes 1 1/2 cups of condensed soup.