Thursday, November 5, 2009

Crock-Pot Mushroom Soup with Creamy Goat Cheese - Foodie Friday




From the kitchen of One Perfect Bite...
While sorting through old recipes I came across this one for a wonderfully easy crock-pot mushroom soup. It's not in my regular rotation because it makes more soup than than the two of us can eat in several seatings. Third times a charm for lots of things, but soup gets tired with too much repetition. While this freezes well, there is always a mortal combat for space in my freezer. Soup never seems to win. I do, however, make this whenever we have a gang in the house. It's wonderful to serve with fresh crusty bread following a game or after a day on foot or ski trails. I know that many of you really like to use the crock-pot. This recipe is for you.

Crock-Pot Mushroom Soup with Creamy Goat Cheese
...from the kitchen of One Perfect Bite

Ingredients:
1 package (1/2-ounce) dried porcini mushrooms
1 cup boiling water
2 tablespoons butter, divided
2 pounds fresh crimini mushrooms, sliced
2 cups onion, finely chopped
4 large cloves garlic, minced
2 sprigs fresh thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon coarse cracked peppercorns
1 bay leaf
1 cup dry red or white wine
1 can condensed beef consommé, undiluted
3 cans condensed beef broth, undiluted
2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar
Whipping cream
Crumbled soft goat cheese
Finely chopped fresh parsley or chives or fresh thyme leaves

Directions:
1) Soak porcini mushrooms in boiling water for 30 minutes. Drain through a fine sieve, reserving liquid. Pat mushrooms dry with a paper towel and chop finely. Set aside.
2) Heat 1 tablespoon of butter in a nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add fresh mushrooms and cook, stirring, until they lose their liquid. Transfer to slow cooker stoneware.
3) Melt remaining butter in the same pan. Add onions and cook, stirring, until softened. Add reserved porcini mushrooms, garlic, thyme, salt and cracked peppercorns and cook, stirring, for 1 minute. Transfer to slow cooker stoneware. Add bay leaf, wine, canned broths and reserved mushroom soaking liquid and stir to combine.
4) Cover and cook on LOW for 6 to 8 hours or on HIGH for 3 to 4 hours. Discard bay leaf. Stir in balsamic vinegar, if using.
5) When ready to serve, ladle soup into individual bowls. Drizzle with cream, sprinkle with goat cheese and garnish with fresh herbs, as desired. Yield: 8 to 10 servings.

Recipe courtesy of Joyce Findleyson.

This post is being linked to:

Crock-Pot Wednesday an event sponsored by Deb at Dining with Debbie.

Designs By Gollum - Foodie Friday

31 comments :

Schnitzel and the Trout said...

Mary, I got rid of my very old crockpot when we moved 3 years ago. I have not replaced it because...it is just the two of us and we are always available to cook during the dinner hour. So, are you saying it is a "somewhat" important part of a kitchen? Convince me.... :)

The Cooking Photographer said...

I want this soup!!!!! I have a bad cold, I don't want to cook, and my husband won't eat mushrooms. Can you just bring me a bowl or two? Thanks.

Mary Bergfeld said...

Susan, this is a tough one for me to answer. I was the Grand Prize winner in the last Rival Crock-Pot Cook Off and I feel I owe them some loyalty. However, downsized kitchens may not have room for a crock-pot or other large kitchen helpers. If you like to leave the house the crock-pot is worth considering and I think its a wonderful tool for working women. BUT. Everything you can do in the crock-pot can be done stovetop or in the oven. If you've made it for 3 years without one, you don't need one and it becomes a question of want. Do you want one?

Lea Ann said...

I think this soup sounds wonderful. I've just become a huge goat cheese fan over the last year and will most certainly will give this a try. Thanks for the post.

Alicia said...

I absolutely love your masthead, it's probably my favorite one of all time :-)

Inspired by eRecipeCards said...

wow... cream and goat cheese... this will make a wonderful combination. You are right about the soup, no room in the freezer for soup.

Puna said...

Can I use fresh porchini mushrooms instead?

Mary Bergfeld said...

Hi Puna,

Fresh would be O.K. but you'll lose the wonderful soaking liquid that you have when you use dry. Replace the cup of soaking liquid with stock or water.

KathyB. said...

I love my crock pot , in fact, I went and bought a bigger one with a carrier because of all the potlucks and family get-togethers we attend.Plus, a crock pot comes in so handy when my husband and I work outside around our place all day and walking into the kitchen after a hard day's work to smell a hot meal simmering in the crock pot is worth the storage space for it alone.

This is a recipe I will be trying.

Unknown said...

So glad to see you back at Crock Pot Wednesday with this terrific soup. I read your response to Susan who is in a two-person househod. I am in a two-person household myself and still use my crock pot all of the time. Even though time is not a big factor for us, some foods just taste better when they are slow cooked, I think. You are such a wonderful cook----I want to be your neightbor:)

Nancy Jane said...

Looks rich, delicious and perfect for a blustery day! Too bad we didn't live near by...my husband and I have the same problem with large quantity cooking. We could swap food! :) Nancy

L'Chicken said...

Oh, I am a crockpot FIEND these days! No better way for a working mama to cook dinner. Thanks for the recipe! Also, I bought all the ingredients for the maple bars (or rather, my husband did, he was very proud of himself for locating the maple flavoring), alas I have not had a moment to make them yet. Next weekend for sure...while my soup is crocking ;-).

Lori E said...

Three people in my coffee group just bought new crock pots last week. I'll pass this one around too. My husband uses one at the cabin all the time because they are out snow mobiling for hours and then come back to the amazing smells and tastes of crock pot cooking.

Chef Fresco said...

This looks amazing! Esp. with the goat cheese. I am definitely bookmarking it :)

Yvonne @ StoneGable said...

How did I miss this wonderful recipe on Crock Pot Wednesday? I love soup, and make it once a week during cool weather. I am def. going to make this one! It sounds just fantastic. My crowd will think this is a winner. Thanks!
Yvonne

3 hungry tummies said...

given a crock pot but have never used it, bookmarked for winter!!

Coleens Recipes said...

You say this recipe makes a LOT of soup...good excuse to invite someone over, I'd say. This looks OH SO GOOD.

NKP said...

I find three time's a charm too. I have a 5qt and a 3qt for smaller meals. Definitely worth it to have the two.
I love this soup - the balsamic must really perk up the velvety mushrooms.

Puna said...

Thank you for answering my question Mary. I hope I can find dry porchini mushrooms somewhere.

Sue said...

My husband doesn't like mushrooms, but they are a favorite of mine. I have saved this to make and freeze in smaller batches, just for me. I'll have it when he wants a burger (which I don't really like). It sounds amazing.

honeysuckle said...

Yum. This sounds like the perfect meal on a cold day!

bj said...

Would you believe that I ate my first goat cheese about 3 months ago and now am in love forever.
This soup looks delicious!
Have a wonderful evening...

Geli said...

Mary this looks so scrumptious, I MUST try it! Plus i am a big Crock-Pot fan!

It's taken me a whole week to get back to you after you left your kind comment on my post.

Anyway, I love your blog and mentioned you on mine, plus I want to honour you with an award which I'd like to pass on to you,if you have time to pick it up please come by.

:-))

Sasha said...

Mary, this sounds so delicious! I don't own a crock pot but perhaps it's time to make that investment...

Deb in Hawaii said...

Such a lovely soup--so thick and creamy. I love my crockpot. ;-)

Katy ~ said...

This soup looks outstanding! Suave, sophisticated, elegant.

Lori said...

This looks tastey Mary. I wonder if you could pear it down and use a smaller crockpot.

Mary Bergfeld said...

Lori, you could cut everything but the dried mushrooms in hald. This recipe also work stovetop.

Ticia said...

This looks huge! My crock pot is smallish and I'm afraid it wouldn't fit. Any idea how big of a crock pot you'd need?

Mary Bergfeld said...

Leticia, a 5 to 6 quart crock-pot should be used for this recipe. If you dont have one that size you can make this on the stovetop.

test it comm said...

Mushrooms with melted creamy goat cheese...mmm...

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