1 - 1/2# White Mushrooms
3 Tbspns Unsalted Butter
1 Cup White Onion - chopped
2 Cloves Garlic - chopped
4 Sprigs of Fresh Thyme - leaves stripped from stalk (or 3 pinches of dried)
Kosher Salt & Fresh Ground Pepper to Taste
1 Tbspn All Purpose Flour
1 Quart Mushroom Stock
3/4 Cup Heavy Cream
Finely Chopped Parsley, Chives or Tarragon

Coarsely chop about a pound of the mushrooms, setting aside the rest for garnish. Melt 2 Tbspns of the butter in a soup pot and add the onion, garlic, thyme, 1 Tspn salt and a 1/4 cup of water. Cover and cook over medium heat for about 5 minutes. Raise the heat and stir in the chopped mushrooms, cooking for about another 5 minutes or so. Stir in the flour, add the stock, and bring to boil. Lower the heat and simmer, partially covered, 20 minutes. Using either an immersion blender, or ladling out the soup into a blender or food processor, puree the soup. Once pureed, stir in the cream and season to taste with salt and pepper. Keep warm over low heat.

Slice the remaining mushrooms. Melt the remaining butter in a skillet and sauté the sliced mushrooms over high heat until they begin to color. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

Serve the soup with the sautéed mushrooms and the chopped herbs along with nice, crusty bread.

Mushroom Stock
1oz Dried Porcini Mushrooms
1 1/2 Tbspns Olive Oil
1 Large Onion - chopped
2 Carrots - diced
2 Celery Ribs - chopped
8oz White Mushrooms - sliced
1 Cup Leeks - chopped - include greens
1/4 Cup Chopped Walnuts
2 Cloves of Garlic - chopped
4 Sprigs of Thyme (or 1/4 Tspn Dried)
Bouquet Garni - as follows
10 Sage Leaves
8 long branches of parsley
5 Sprigs of Thyme
2 Bay Leaves

Soak the dried mushrooms in 1 cup of water. Heat the oil in a stock pot. Add the onion, carrots and celery and sweat them until the onions are soft and beginning to turn golden. Add the dried mushrooms and deglaze the bottom of the pan with the soaking liquid. Add in the remaining ingredients and 9 cups of water. Bring to a boil and then simmer, partially covered, for 45 minutes. Strain and discard the solids.