cookware
- large microwave-safe bowl
- large plate
- colander
- large measuring glass (2 quarts or larger)
- dutch oven
- blender
- medium measuring glass
- whisk
1 | If you're using frozen homemade chicken broth, unmold a quart and warm it in a pot to thaw. De-stem the shiitakes (save the stems for broth) and trim and rinse all the mushrooms, keeping them whole. |
2 | Toss the mushrooms and salt in a large, microwave-safe bowl. Cover with a plate and microwave for a total of 12 minutes, but microwave them in 4-minute increments and stir the mushrooms in between each break. The mushrooms will release their liquid and shrink. |
3 | Insert a colander into a large glass measuring cup (2 quarts or larger). Drain the mushrooms and collect the mushroom water. |
4 | Preheat the dutch oven and vegetable oil over medium heat. Add the mushrooms when the oil is hot. Cook for a total of 8 minutes. Stir every 2-3 minutes. |
5 | Add the onion, thyme, and pepper and cook for about 2 minutes until the onions are soft. |
6 | Add the sherry and cook until evaporated. |
7 | Add the mushroom liquid and stir in the fond (browned bits of mushroom) from the bottom of the pot. |
8 | Measure out the water and the broth in the large measuring glass. Stir in the water and the broth and bring the mixture to a simmer. Bump the heat down to low and simmer for 20 minutes. |
9 | Remove the thyme sprig. Working across 2-3 batches, transfer the soup to the blender and process until smooth. Pour the first 1-2 batches into the large measuring glass. Pour the last batch, along with the previously blended batches, back into the dutch oven. Stir to combine. |
10 | If you wish to store the soup and finish the final processing separately, the soup will keep in the fridge in this state for up to 2 days. Make sure to heat the soup up to 150°F before proceeding with the next steps. |
11 | In a medium measuring glass, measure out the cream and add the yolks. Whisk to combine, then slowly mix in 2 cups of the hot soup into mixture. |
12 | Pour the cream/yolk/soup mixture into the soup pot and stir and gently cook until the soup's temperature reaches 165°F. |
13 | Mix in the lemon juice and season with salt and pepper only if needed. |
14 | Serve immediately. Garnish each serving with 1 teaspoon of cream and chopped chives. |
source: the November-December 2014 issue of Cook's Illustrated
notes
While we often make this soup when entertaining, we like it so much that we'll often make it for ourselves. Since we're a family of 3, we prep the soup up to step 10, then reserve half of the soup base to enjoy later in the week. We finish the remaining soup with 1 yolk, half the cream, and 1 cup of soup, then finish the rest of the soup later in the week with the same quantities of yolk, cream, and soup.
