Rich Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

• 0.3 teaspoon pepper black freshly ground
• 2 teaspoons butter 
• 16 ounce mushrooms 
• 1 ounce the following: parmesan rind) dried
• 0.3 cup sherry dry
• 4 cups fat-skimmed beef broth fat-free
• 2 tablespoons flour all-purpose
• 2 teaspoons thyme leaves fresh finely chopped
• 2 teaspoons garlic chopped
• 0.5 cup half and half 
• 1 cup milk 1% low-fat
• 1.5 cups onion chopped
• 0.3 teaspoon salt 
• 6.5 cups mushroom caps thinly sliced ( 1 pound mushrooms)
• 1 cup water boiling

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan
• whisk
• sieve
• blender
• dutch oven

Directions

1. Place flour in a small skillet over medium-high heat; cook 2 minutes or until flour turns light brown, stirring constantly.
2. Transfer the flour to a small plate; cool.
3. Combine boiling water and porcini mushrooms in a bowl; cover and let steep 20 minutes. Strain porcini mushrooms through a sieve over a bowl, reserving the soaking liquid. Chop the mushrooms.
4. Melt butter in a Dutch oven over medium-high heat.
5. Add onion; saut 5 minutes or until tender.
6. Add garlic, thyme, salt, and pepper; saut 30 seconds.
7. Add shiitake mushrooms; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
8. Add button mushrooms; cook 3 minutes, stirring constantly.
9. Add chopped porcini mushrooms and broth to pan.
10. Combine reserved porcini soaking liquid with toasted flour, stirring with a whisk, and add to pan. Bring to a boil; reduce heat, and simmer, uncovered, for 15 minutes.
11. Add milk; simmer 10 minutes, stirring frequently.
12. Remove from heat; stir in half-and-half and sherry.
13. Place 2 cups soup in a blender; process until smooth. Return pureed soup to pan. Warm soup over low heat for 5 minutes or until thoroughly heated. Divide soup among each of 8 bowls, and sprinkle with parsley, if desired.