Everyone knows Paula Deen. From her big personality and Southern charm to her expertise in the kitchen, she will always have a place in my fried-chicken-loving heart. In honor of her birthday on January 19th, I whipped up Paula’s Smoky Portobello Soup—classic comfort food, perfect for winter.
I received an immersion blender for Christmas, so I had been looking for a chance to test it out. What could be a better opportunity than Paula’s birthday soup?
The best part of making this soup was the smell—especially the roasted mushrooms! Of course even better than that was the final product. The smoky, creamy soup was super filling and savory. All the butter and cream gave it almost a silky quality. Delish!
My one mistake was not balancing the cream and roux correctly. I either had too much roux or not quite enough cream, because the reheated soup reminded me distinctly of mushroom Jell-O. Possibly a delicacy elsewhere, but I was a little intimidated. It was certainly a learning experience!
This dish is worth a try this winter, because the flavor is incredible. I would pair with crusty bread on a cold night!
Smoky Portobello Soup
Recipe courtesy Paula Deen
Prep Time: 10 min
Cook Time: 45 min
Level: Easy
Serves: 8-10 cups
Ingredients:
- 1/4 cup olive oil
1 teaspoon liquid smoke- 1/2 cup chopped sweet onions
- 8 medium Portobello mushrooms
- 1 1/2 tablespoons chopped garlic
- 1/4 cup white wine
- 8 cups chicken stock
- 1 1/4 cups white roux (1 stick of butter and 1/2 cup all-purpose flour; cook slowly over low heat)
- 1 quart heavy cream
- Salt and pepper
- Croutons, sour cream, and sliced chives, for garnish
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.
Combine 1/4 cup of olive oil and 3 drops of liquid smoke. Toss 4 of the Portobello mushrooms in oil mixture and roast them in the oven for approximately 45 minutes. Chop mushrooms into cubes. In a large pot, sauté the onions in olive oil. Once onions are sautéed, add uncooked Portobello mushrooms and garlic. After mushrooms and garlic are cooked add roasted mushrooms, white wine and chicken broth and allow to simmer for 20 minutes. Remove from heat and place mixture in blender. Add roux to pot. Blend in heavy cream. Place mixture back in pot on stove and add roux. Let simmer for 20 minutes. Garnish with croutons, sour cream and sliced chives.
