cream o' mushroom soup on a rainy day

It's barely into September and it feels just like fall. The pitter and patter of rain is quite soothing, while the cool, wet weather makes me feel like cooking. So, I finally took the opportunity to make a dish that I've wanted to make for a long time: cream of mushroom soup.

My kids love the soup and only knows it comes from a can. The canned stuff, while passable for taste, contains lots of sodium and the dreaded MSG. Yes, I feel guilty every time I make it for them and vow that "one day" I'd make it from scratch. Today was the day.

The recipe is from UrbanMommies.com. I read through the recipe and saw nothing that would offend the little one's tastebuds i.e. no herbs. What I should mention is that I'm used to making Chinese soups or broths so making Western soup is something new to me. I guess as an Asian, I see western soups as almost a 2-step process - broth/stock and then the soup. Chinese soups are all-in-one meaning the stock's built in. :)

Here's a picture of the Fall Mushroom Soup:

Final product: cream of mushroom soup.

Here's how I made it. First, I sauteed the onion with butter until soft and golden. Meanwhile, heat half-and-half cream in another small saucepan. Then, to the sauteed onions, add the mushroms. I used a blend of white and crimini. You can probably use whatever you fancy.

Then add the flour and cook for 1/2 a minute so that it's incorporated into the mushrooms and onions. Pour in the beef stock and stir constantly to avoid lumps. Finally, stir in the heated half-and-half, bay leaf, ground nutmeg, salt and ground black pepper. Let simmer (do not boil) for about 10 minutes to let flavours combine. Before serving, remove bay leaf.

For a first time, it was a charm. ;) It was almost as simple as making Chinese soup.