Back in the day I used to order a portobello mushroom sandwich at Mickey Mantle’s in NYC, just lazing at the bar with The Don, Su-Su, and Will. Not a fancy spot, but one of Will’s favorites as he loved MM, the Yankees, and frequented their Fantasy Camp. Guess I have always loved properly prepared mushrooms. Throw a dart…I’ll eat any of them. For this soup, start with a large pile of mushrooms; you’ll get them out of the frying pan, into the blender, and into a bowl in no time at all! Try it; you’ll like it.

1 medium onion, finely chopped
3 Tbs butter
12 oz assorted fresh cremini, porcini mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms, stems removed; and chopped
1 1/2 t snipped fresh thyme
4 Tbs brandy
1 Tbs all-purpose flour
2 cups chicken broth
1/2 cup whipping cream
White truffle oil
1/8 t sea salt
1/4 t cracked black pepper

In large saucepan cook onions in butter over medium-high heat 5 minutes or until tender. Add mushrooms and thyme.
Cook and stir 8 minutes or until mushrooms are tender.
Remove saucepan from heat.
Add brandy.
Return saucepan to heat; cook 30 seconds, stirring constantly.
Stir in flour.
Cook and stir 1 minute.
Stir in broth and whipping cream.
Bring just to boil.
Reduce heat and simmer, uncovered, 10 minutes.
Cool mixture slightly.
Transfer mixture, half at a time to food processor.
Cover; blend until smooth.
Return soup to saucepan. Heat through.
Ladle soup into bowls. Drizzle with white truffle oil; top with salt and black pepper.

Serves 6 as main soup course.
Serves 16 in demitasse.

*Note: For chunkier soup, puree only half the mixture; return to pot and combine with remaining soup.

From the Files of Jeffrey Selden of MarciaSelden.com.