Roasted Cremini & Leek Soup with (almost to far gone) Tomatoes
Some meals are born from necessity. I will often look in the fridge to see what needs to be used up, in this case some forgotten Cremini mushrooms & some almost to far gone hot house tomatoes. Roasting is an exceptional way to redeem both mushrooms & tomatoes that are past their prime. Dried mushroom (this one listed is a gourmet mix) are an excellent pantry staple to have on hand. They last indefinitely, fit into every diet & add wonderful umami to soups, sauces, stir-fry & miso. Although they are optional in this recipe, they do add a layer of complexity.
serves 6 (6oz. cup)
1 package of Cremini mushrooms, thickly sliced
2 Tbsp. olive oil, divided
2 leeks, thoroughly rinsed, trimmed & thinly sliced
1/2 tsp. turbinado sugar
3 plump cloves of garlic, finely minced
2 cups of almost to far gone tomatoes, diced
1/2 cup white wine (you may also use beer to deglaze if your not doing a Keto version)
1/2 cup dried mushrooms (optional, I used Shitake)
4 cups chicken stock
1 cup heavy cream
2 tsp. lemon juice + 1 tsp. zest
2 tsp. minced fresh thyme
salt, pepper to taste
Toss mushrooms with 1 Tbsp. olive oil & roast on a sheet pan in a 400f oven for 10-15 minutes. Meanwhile heat remaining olive oil in a large sauce pot over medium heat & saute leeks until tender. Add turbinado sugar & garlic, saute for a couple minutes then add tomato. Cook stirring frequently until tomatoes soften & juice out a bit then add white wine & dried mushrooms. Cook for 7-10 minutes reducing the liquid & concentrating flavors. Add chicken stock & roasted mushrooms. Reduce heat & simmer for 20 minutes. Add heavy cream, lemon juice with zest & thyme. Heat through. Season to taste with salt & pepper.