What I had for dinner:

Mushroom soup

11 Jan 1996 22:34:02 -0500

Winter! 'Tis now the time for cabbages and sprouts, mashed roots and boiled rutabagas. Bleeech!

Mushroom soup!

Chop together 10 oz of white mushrooms and the stems of 4 oz of shiitake. Sauté in a bit of butter in a large pot until all the liquid that the mushrooms give off has evaporated. Add 2 chopped shallots, cook for a couple of minutes, add 1 tsp of red pepper (e.g. sambal oelek), a few cloves of garlic (crushed), and a pinch each of nutmeg and cinnamon. Add 1 quart of water and cook covered for 1/2 hour.

Meanwhile slice the shiitake caps and one 3" Portobello into thick slices, and cook in butter until all the water has evaporated. Set aside.

Place the soup solids and some liquid in a food processor and blend thoroughly. Strain through a sieve, add back the rest of the liquid, the cooked mushroom slices, a largish pinch of saffron, and salt to taste. Cook for a few minutes. Serve with toasted bread.