Cream of champignon and porcini mushroom soup

Ingredients:

• 4 cups lightly salted chicken broth
• 45 g dried porcini mushrooms
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 5 cloves garlic, finely chopped
• 300 g of chopped champignons
• 1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme leaves
• 2 shallots, thinly sliced
• 1 leek (white and light green parts), thinly sliced
• 1/3 cup premium flour
• 1 bay leaf
• 0.5 cups heavy cream
• 1 tsp. sherry or marsala
• Chopped parsley, for serving

Preparation:

1. In a medium saucepan, combine the broth and 3 cups of water and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, add the dried mushrooms, and let sit for 20 minutes. Then, remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon and set aside, reserving the broth. Coarsely chop the mushrooms.
2. In a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the garlic, porcini mushrooms, and three-quarters of the sliced ​​button mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and almost dry, about 6 minutes. Add the thyme, shallots, and leeks and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring occasionally, for another 2 minutes.
3. Strain the reserved mushroom broth into a saucepan and bring to a boil. Add the bay leaf, reduce the heat, and simmer, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool slightly.
4. Remove the bay leaf. Pour the soup into a blender in several batches and blend thoroughly until smooth, being careful not to fill the pitcher more than halfway at a time. Strain the soup, return it to the saucepan, and reheat over medium heat.
5. Stir in the cream, sherry, 1 teaspoon salt, and a pinch of freshly ground black pepper. Ladle into bowls and garnish with the remaining finely chopped mushrooms and parsley.