Creamy Mushroom Soup with Tarragon

Ingredients

• 1  bay leaf 
• 1  mushroom bouillon cube dry
• 2 teaspoons butter 
• 8 ounce button mushrooms chopped
• 8 ounce cremini mushrooms chopped
• 0.5 ounce porcini mushrooms dried
• 0.5 cup cooking wine dry white
• 2 tablespoons chives fresh chopped
• 1 teaspoon tarragon fresh minced
• 0.5 teaspoon thyme leaves fresh chopped
• 2  garlic cloves minced
• 0.7 cup half-and-half 
• 1.8 cups onion chopped
• 0.5 teaspoon cracked pepper black
• 1.5 teaspoons sea salt divided
• 5.5 cups water 
• 1.3 ounce bread whole wheat

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• frying pan
• blender
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
2. Add onion, porcini mushrooms, tarragon, thyme, and bay leaf; saut 10 minutes or until onions are lightly browned.
3. Add garlic, and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.
4. Add wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.
5. Add 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, button mushrooms, and cremini mushrooms. Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
6. Place bread in a food processor; pulse 5 times or until crumbly.
7. Add the breadcrumbs, water, and bouillon cube. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf.
8. Place about 2 1/2 cups mushroom mixture in a blender; process until smooth.
9. Pour pureed soup into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining mushroom mixture, 2 1/2 cups at a time. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and half-and-half. Top each serving with 1 teaspoon chives.