Creamy-ish Mushroom Soup

Soup always makes me feel better.

Is it just me, or does it feel like these weeks in quarantine are going by as fast as ever? Maybe it’s the fact that there is just so much to do. I know it’s vastly different for people who live alone, don’t work full time, or don’t have children, and there are positives and negatives for all.  For me, there’s always something, more like at least three or four somethings that I should be doing at once.  It’s sort of exhausting but it also keeps me going, keeps me from worrying too much, wasting time thinking about all of the possible ways this pandemic will shape our lives going forward when it’s impossible to know.  Amid impending mass layoffs at my company, I’m grateful that I don’t have the luxury of time to spend speculating as to whether or not I will lose my job, panicking over the possibility that I will. 

Being quarantined with little kids has its moments, for sure, but it also has THIS! And no, Emmett does not call me “micchelle”!

There are so many immediate needs I need to attend to here. I’ve got to just keep going. Roll with the punches, and remember that while my worries and fears are real, they are also trivial compared to those that so many others are facing at this time. Also, the weather is finally getting better and we are still healthy and safe with so much to be thankful for. This week we got a huge box of toys from our cousins in England and it was like Christmas! Better than Christmas! The kids were so excited and have been having a blast with all of their new toys over the last few days. Isla learned how to ride her bike without training wheels and Eve learned how to ride a bike with them. Both are SO proud. Even though, admittedly, being a 24-7 parent instead of a “working” parent can test my patience, this extra time with the kids is such a blessing.  They are so funny, so full of joy, so quick to adapt to even these crazy circumstances. I’m striving to be more like them.  

Not to toot my own horn, but it seems that others were inspired by my recently organized pantry and decided to follow suit.

One small success was lunch today. I love cooking but it’s not easy to keep up the enthusiasm when you are cooking multiple meals a day and don’t necessarily have the time or resources to plan or prepare them the way you would like. Still, I’ve been trying to find new recipes so that I can expand my repertoire and continue to enjoy the process. I don’t know about you, but I think most people who cook get excited when they find a recipe they want to try and realize that they already have all of the ingredients on hand.  That is probably especially true right now. This was that and then some. It’s from Bon Appetit, where I have been getting a lot of good recipes lately. The recipe is vegan, usually not a selling point for me, but right now, a recipe that doesn’t require me to use up any of my precious stash of chicken stock is more than welcome. This one was simple. Mushrooms, cashews, thyme, garlic, onions, shallots, miso and olive oil. And the reviews! This recipe got rave reviews on bonappetit.com! I always read the reviews before I invest in a recipe. This time, I was a little incredulous, but I’m a believer. This soup makes my “dinner party list” and not just for vegans or vegetarians (but if you happen to be one, MAKE THIS). Even I didn’t miss the meat or dairy one bit. It is insanely good. And that’s without the garlic oil, which just puts it over the top (and makes it fancy). I’m generally not a fan of recipes with sub recipes. No one is a fan of recipes with sub-recipes, am I right? But the garlic oil only took three minutes to make and was definitely worth the lift.

Garlic oil. This would be great drizzled on pasta, pizza, or as a dipping oil for fresh bread.

Of course, I didn’t follow the recipe exactly. I added some dried porcini mushrooms that I found in the back of the cupboard which I soaked (along with the cashews) while I was cooking the fresh mushrooms, onions and shallots. After adding the wine, I added the porcini-cashew mixture and soaking liquid to the soup, along with a little less than the suggested volume of water. Then, after simmering the onion-shallot mixture with the porinis and cashews, I blended them with the miso until the soup was completely pureed. Finally, I added the sauteed fresh mushrooms back in for texture and let it simmer for a few minutes. Final result? Yum. I cannot believe something so easy and dairy free could be so creamy and full of flavor.

Step one. Saute your fresh mushrooms.

They cook down a lot, this is how they should look before you remove them from the pan.

Puree (cashew-porcini mixture + shallot-onion mixture and water) before adding the sauteed mushrooms back in.

Garlic oil ingredients in the pan (added red pepper flakes - we like things spicy).

Three minutes later…

I won’t have any leftovers but if you do, pasta sauce would be a great option. Just reduce it over the stove by simmering it for 30 minutes or so until it thickens up a little more. Toss with pasta, top with garlic oil and parmesan. Pour yourself a big glass of wine and call it self-care. Call yourself a genius. Have seconds.

Here’s to happy surprises in uncertain times.