Once I made chicken stock, I started trying to think of ideas, other than chicken soup, to make it into a quick after work meal. Over the weekend, as I eyed up the contents of our refrigerator and longed to open up the Lucini Grand Riserva balsamic vinegar I received this summer, I decided on a rich mushroom and onion soup with a chicken stock base. After arriving home last night feeling a touch of a cold coming on, I was glad to have the pot ready and waiting in the refrigerator.
To make the soup, I started with 2 large yellow onions, cut into rings.
Then I cleaned and chopped baby bella and white mushrooms. I was hoping for something more interesting, like shitakes, but alas my Shaw’s does not carry them.
I got the mushrooms and onions started in a mix of white truffle and olive oils, and once they were sizzling and starting to cook down, I added a couple pats of Kerrygold butter in for that buttery flavor.
On a side note, I learned from Mireille Guiliano in French Women Don’t Get Fat the joys of mushrooms and onions cooked with butter with a slice of bread and a glass of Champagne. It’s a pairing that is deserving of the word epic, try it. 🙂
Once the mushrooms and onions were soft and caramelized, I deglazed the bottom of the pan with the balsamic vinegar, then poured in my homemade chicken stock. After adding fresh thyme, pepper and (not enough) salt, I let the soup simmer on low for a few hours. At the very end, I added in a few cups of spinach I had frozen fresh, and then let it cool before packing it up.
The soup made a warm and comforting dinner after a long day, served with some 12 grain bread and goat cheese, but it could have used some more flavor. I think adding some more balsamic and herbs would have been helpful, as well as some garlic. My dream for this soup was to serve it over buttery mashed potatoes, but I was too tired to make those. I will be doing that with the leftovers 🙂
Thanks to everyone who came out to the Red White Boston event at Sonsie last night! There will be more Red White Boston events coming up, so I hope to meet more of you in the future! And don’t forget to enter the Bauer Howl-o-ween Bash giveaway!
