The end of the year holidays are over, but here in the Northeast and in many parts of the country, winter is kicking into high gear. Many of us are trying to start off the new year on the right foot, by eating healthy and leaving all those sweet delicious treats behind. The challenge is real, no doubt. Comfort foods are just that – comfort for when the cold winds blow and whistle past your windows, reminding you of that steaming cup of hot cocoa with pillowy marshmallows, waiting to be sipped and savored as you seek release from the icy grip of old man winter. But here, in the Olive Lucy test kitchen, we decided to work on some healthy comfort food recipes that don’t sacrifice on the comfort.
One of the easiest places to start is with soup. We’ve taken a winter classic – creamy mushroom soup and gave it an Olive Lucy twist. We started working on this recipe a while back, but this wintery weather has motivated us to finish and publish it. Last week we posted a video of mushrooms and onions sautéing for our “cream-less” creamy mushroom soup. After several test batches we think we’ve come up with a pretty tasty version with a good balance of flavor and texture. By blending in the olive oil instead of the milk or cream, you get a nice and light “creaminess” without sacrificing the warmth and comfort of a creamy soup. Below is the recipe for you to try. We’d love for you to try it and share your creations on our new Facebook Group – Olive Lucy: adding a little flavor to life
Ingredients:
- 24 oz of Baby Portobello Mushrooms, cleaned, destemmed and sliced
- ½ medium sweet yellow onion, medium diced
- 1 Tbsp. Olive Lucy Wild Mushroom Sage Olive Oil
- 1 Quart Low Sodium Vegetable Stock
- ¼ cup Olive Lucy Wild Mushroom & Sage Olive Oil
- 1 Tbsp. Olive Lucy Sherry Reserve Vinegar
- 1 Tbsp. Sherry
- Tahini (optional)
- Pinch of Dill (optional)
Directions:
Clean, destem and slice the mushrooms and set aside. Dice the yellow onion and set aside. Heat a large Dutch oven/soup pot with 1 Tbsp of the Wild Mushroom & Sage Olive Oil and add mushrooms. Let brown over medium heat, stirring occasionally so they don’t burn to the bottom of the pan. Add in the onion and continue to sauté until the onions soften. Next add in the 1 Tbsp of Sherry Reserve Vinegar. Let cook for a minute or two then add the quart of low sodium vegetable stock. Bring to a boil and let simmer for 15-20 minutes to help reduce the stock and concentrate the flavor. In the last 5 minutes add the Sherry and let cook for another 5-10 minutes.
Turn off heat and pour soup into a blender. Put the lid on and start the blender on low. Slowly turn it up to medium. Through the small opening in the blender lid, carefully drizzle in the ¼ cup of Wild Mushroom and Sage Olive Oil and blend until it’s a creamy consistency.
Finish with a drizzle of Tahini and pinch of dill.
Serve with crusty bread or soup croutons.
Serves 4
© 2019, Olive Lucy Gourmet Foods LLC. Photo Credit: Rishona Myers, 2019.
