The essence of the Christmas season should be about spending time, not money.
Spending time away from work, with family and friends and a glass of eggnog. Spending time in the kitchen, slowing down, learning new dishes and relearning others, cooking from scratch for your loved ones to enjoy. Spending time smiling, laughing, remembering the joy this season brings each year.
And the season of spending time warming up with warm drinks and warm soups.
One of my favorite warming dishes – Homemade Mushroom Soup.
Fresh, firm and plump mushrooms – swiss brown, white button, shiitake, portobello or a mix of them all – soaked in milk and cream, spiced with aromatic thyme and bay leaf, and a dash of freshly ground pepper and a pinch of Christmas nutmeg.
You’ll never look at another can of mushroom soup again.
Homemade Mushroom Soup by Season with Spice
Serves 2 as appetizer
Ingredients:
300g or 2 cups fresh mushrooms - cleaned and chopped finely
1 tbsp olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic - chopped
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme or 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme (optional)
1 bay leaf
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 tbsp flour dissolved in 1 tbsp water
Salt to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
Dash of Season with Spice's Indonesian Nutmeg Powder
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Fresh parsley or thyme for garnish
Method:
1. Heat olive oil in a sauce pan. Add butter and lightly sauté garlic on medium heat.
2. Add in mushrooms, thyme, bay leaf, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the moisture from the mushrooms disappears.
3. Add in chicken broth. Stir occasionally until broth boils, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
4 Add diluted flour in, and stir constantly (while simmering) until the mixture thickens. Season with salt and nutmeg. Taste and adjust seasonings.
5. Finally, add milk and heavy cream, and bring to a simmer. Turn heat off.
6. Transfer to soup bowls. Add freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with fresh parsley or thyme if you have them on hand. And warm up this holiday season!
Notes:
- Swirl in a dash of sherry or truffle oil or wine, or some caramelized sweet onions, to add more depth to the soup.
- You can thicken the soup by adding in another tablespoon of flour, or cutting down on the broth, when using in pasta or your holiday casserole dishes.
Serves 2 as appetizer
Ingredients:
300g or 2 cups fresh mushrooms - cleaned and chopped finely
1 tbsp olive oil
3-4 cloves garlic - chopped
1 tbsp butter
1/2 tbsp chopped fresh thyme or 1/4-1/2 teaspoon of dried thyme (optional)
1 bay leaf
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 cup chicken or vegetable stock
1 tbsp flour dissolved in 1 tbsp water
Salt to taste
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup milk
Dash of Season with Spice's Indonesian Nutmeg Powder
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Fresh parsley or thyme for garnish
Method:
1. Heat olive oil in a sauce pan. Add butter and lightly sauté garlic on medium heat.
2. Add in mushrooms, thyme, bay leaf, and Worcestershire sauce. Cook over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the moisture from the mushrooms disappears.
3. Add in chicken broth. Stir occasionally until broth boils, then reduce heat and simmer for 10 minutes.
4 Add diluted flour in, and stir constantly (while simmering) until the mixture thickens. Season with salt and nutmeg. Taste and adjust seasonings.
5. Finally, add milk and heavy cream, and bring to a simmer. Turn heat off.
6. Transfer to soup bowls. Add freshly ground black pepper. Garnish with fresh parsley or thyme if you have them on hand. And warm up this holiday season!
Notes:
- Swirl in a dash of sherry or truffle oil or wine, or some caramelized sweet onions, to add more depth to the soup.
- You can thicken the soup by adding in another tablespoon of flour, or cutting down on the broth, when using in pasta or your holiday casserole dishes.
Looking for more delicious soups? We have a few more family favorites here for you to enjoy:
Curried Carrot Coconut Soup - spiced with our Sweet Curry Powder and fresh ginger, this creamy velvety soup will warm your belly and brighten your day.
Garden Tomato Basil Soup - perfect soup to use up your late summer harvest.
Sweet & Smoky Pumpkin Soup - a touch of our Ancho Chili powder gives a surprising flavor to the soup.
