Mushroom Soup

This mushroom soup is not the bland, canned variety, but one that uses spices in an imaginative way. Ilka uses the best of the Caribbean where she lives now, mixing it with her European background. (Read Holland to trinidad).

• 4 tablespoons butter or margarine
• 1 onion, finely minced
• 1/2 jalapeño pepper, chopped or 1 teaspoon hot pepper flakes
• 1 pound mushrooms, thickly sliced
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 cup milk, white wine or Madeira wine
• 5 cups bouillon click for note
• 1 teaspoon curry powder
• Salt to taste
• 1/4 cup whipping cream, or evaporated milk

METHOD

Heat butter or margarine until melted. Stir in onion, cayenne pepper and mushrooms. Cook over low heat until softened, but not brown.

Add flour and stir until mixture is thick.

Add small amounts of bouillon and or milk/wine alternately. Stir continually. Do not add too much fluid at a time or sauce will get lumpy. Continue to stir. Every time sauce gets thick, keep adding milk/wine/bouillon until you get a creamy, soup-like consistency. When sauce thickens, stir in curry powder and check seasoning. Add salt if necessary. Soup needs to cook only until sauce reaches the thickness you prefer.

When soup has thickened, stir in the cream enrichment.

Serves: 4 - 6

Contributor: Ilka Hilton-Clarke

Please visit Ilka's site: dolphin designs batik

Note: The bouillon is made with boiling water mixed with 2 large vegetable bouillon cubes.

Ilka advises us that you can experiment with adding other kinds of spices. The curry powder, however, is the main ingredient in taste here: not too overpowering, but it needs a little curry taste. Her other variations include adding a little finely cut parsley or a drop or two of Tabasco sauce, and Worcestershire sauce. Ilka is a creative cook.

Great for Thanksgiving or Christmas.  Happy holiday cooking to all!

click to read about mushrooms and get more recipes       back to main thanksgiving page

 

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