Porcini Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:
6 cups water
1-2 oz. dried porcini mushrooms
3 Tbs. olive oil
2 Tbs. unsalted butter
12 oz. white button mushrooms, sliced
8 oz. shitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
1 yellow onion, chopped
2 garlic cloves, minced
1 tsp. chopped fresh thyme
1 Tbs. Champagne vinegar
4 cups chicken broth
2 cups heavy cream
Salt and freshly ground pepper
Chopped fresh chives for garnish

Preparation:
In a heatproof bowl, pour hot water over porcini mushrooms and soak for 30 minutes. In a large wide-bottomed saucepan over high heat, warm 2 tablespoons oil and melt butter. Add button and shitake mushrooms and sauté, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms are golden and tender and liquid has nearly evaporated. Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, onion and garlic and sauté, until onions are tender and golden. Add thyme and sauté one minute more. Strain porcini through a fine-mesh sieve, reserving soaking liquid and porcini. Add soaking liquid to mushroom-onion mixture along with vinegar, broth and cream. Bring to a simmer and simmer for 20 minutes. Using a stick blender, puree soup until smooth and blended. Season with salt and pepper. Chop porcini coarsely and stir into soup.

Serving Suggestion:
Ladle into warmed soup bowls and garnish each serving with a pinch of chopped chives.

History:
Williams-Sonoma Cooking stores included this recipe in one of their cooking catalogs.