Many mushrooms

Photos by Sarah Nasello / The Forum

Sarah's Slow Cooker Mushroom Sherry Soup is an easy way to create the perfect cup of comfort.

mushroomsMany

Multiple types of fungi add up to delicious flavor in this slow cooker soup

There are few foods more comforting than soup. With an abundance of mushrooms and shallots, this Slow Cooker Mushroom Sherry Soup is rich with flavor and full of savory comfort.

I don’t often use my slow cooker for tasks other than keeping foods warm, but I was inspired after finding a similar recipe online. I was delighted with the result — after only 30 minutes of prep time, the soup was in the crock and left on its own to simmer and cook for the next four and a half hours.

I used a variety of fresh mushrooms for this recipe, including cremini (baby bella), shiitake, oyster and button, as well as an ounce of dried porcini mushrooms. Using more than one type of mushroom adds depth of flavor and complexity to the soup. You can use any variety of fresh mushroom you prefer, but the dried porcini are an essential flavor-builder.

Purists will insist that you should never wash fresh mushrooms with water, as this may prevent them from becoming crisp and golden when cooked, and instead recommend using a dry cloth to tenderly brush each mushroom.

As a home cook, I don’t have the patience to dryclean my food, and you have my permission to skip this step as well. To save time, I included some pre-sliced mushrooms in my mix, which are clean and ready to use, as well as a few packages of whole baby mushrooms which I washed and dried before slicing.

The flavor-builders can be prepared as the mushrooms are drying (I lay them out on paper towels, stem side down). Four shallots are thinly sliced and sauteed with two cloves of minced garlic until tender, and then a cup of dry sherry is added and brought to a boil so the alcohol content can cook off. The sherry pairs well with the meaty richness of the mushrooms and is a key component of the soup.

To create a texture that is silky, smooth and still full of mushrooms, I puree just some of the soup and add it back to the pot, and an optional touch of cream can be added just before serving.

Fragrant, lush and wonderfully rustic, this Slow Cooker Mushroom Sherry Soup is an easy way to create the perfect cup of comfort.

Home with the Lost Italian

BY SARAH & TONY NASELLO Columnist

Slow Cooker Mushroom Sherry Soup

and reserve the liquid. Coarsely chop the mushrooms and set aside. Bring the remaining 2 cups of water to a boil. Once boiling, add to the reserved mushroom liquid and stir in the cornstarch, soy sauce, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Set aside. Meanwhile, in a medium pan, heat the oil over medium heat until hot. Add the shallots and garlic and cook, stirring often, until the shallots are tender, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add the sherry and bring to a boil. Let boil for 1 minute then remove pan from heat. In the bowl of a 5-quart (or larger) slow cooker, add the porcini mushrooms, shallot mixture, reserved mushroom liquid, fresh mushrooms, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Stir together until the liquid is evenly distributed. The mushrooms will be at or near the top of the bowl and will reduce by about half when the soup is ready. Cover the pot and cook on high, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms are quite tender, about 3.5 to 4 hours. Remove the cover and continue cooking until the soup thickens slightly, about 30 minutes. 4 cups water 1 oz. dried porcini mushrooms 1 Tbsp. cornstarch Use a liquid or hand-held blender to puree 2 cups of the soup until smooth. Return the pureed soup to the slow cooker, add the cream (if using) and stir to 1 Tbsp. soy sauce (I prefer low-sodium) combine. Taste and add more seasoning as desired. 1 tsp. kosher salt, divided Serve hot with good, crusty bread. Serves eight. 3/4 tsp. black pepper, divided To store: Transfer soup to an airtight container 2 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil and refrigerate for up to 1 week or freeze for up to 4 medium shallots, thinly sliced 3 months. 2 cloves garlic (about 2 tsp.) 1 cup dry sherry 2-1/2 lb. assorted mushrooms, washed and dried, sliced 1/4-inch thick 1 Tbsp. fresh thyme leaves, stems removed, or 1-1/2 tsp. dry thyme 1/3 cup heavy cream (optional)

In a medium or large pot, bring 4 cups of water to a boil. Place the dried porcini mushrooms in a medium bowl and cover with 2 cups of Park Rapids Officeboiling water; let stand 618 1st St. E., Park Rapids to hydrate for 20 min- Tuesdays 10 am - 3 pm, other times by appt. utes. Drain the porcini BRIAN HILLESLAND, NBC-HIS National Board Certified Hearing Instrument Specialist mushrooms in a colan- Toll - Free 1-800-631-4946 der placed over a bowl 218-631-4966

“Home with the Lost Italian” is a weekly column written by Sarah Nasello featuring recipes by her husband, Tony Nasello. The couple owned Sarello’s in Moorhead and lives in Fargo with their son, Giovanni. Readers can reach them at sarahnasello@ gmail.com.

Patrick J. Sullivan Ins. Agy. Inc. Patrick Sullivan, Agent 704 Park Ave. S. Park Rapids, MN 56470 Bus: 218-732-0360 Toll Free: 800-859-3054