Mushroom Soup with Dumplings

Not a great pic - but these ramekins are filled with dark, rich Mushroom Soup




MUSHROOM SOUP WITH DUMPLINGS

Ingredients

2 small onions - diced
1/2 lb baby portobello mushrooms - brushed clean & sliced
1/2 lb cremini mushrooms - brushed clean & sliced
1/4 lb shitake or oyster mushrooms, again, brushed clean & sliced
 Note:if any of the mushrooms you have selected are dried, you must re-hydrate them in a small bowl of water or broth.
2 cloves garlic - minced
2 quarts vegetable stock                                                   1 cup heavy cream
2-3 Tablespoons good Bourbon
1 Tablespoon olive oil                      1 Tablespoon unsalted butter     2 Tablespoons flour
salt and pepper to taste         2 Tablespoons grated Parmesan cheese       2 Tablespoons fresh thyme

For the biscuit/dumplings
2 cups flour    1 Tablespoon baking powder   1 cup half and half   salt/pepper to taste
You may be able to discern from the photo I used refrigerator biscuits


1)  In a large, heavy Dutch oven, (soup pot), combine olive oil, butter and flour over low heat.  Whish together making a blond roux, (yes, mixing these 2 fats w/flour is referred to as a roux and will aide in thickening your soup).
2) When your roux has come together and you've cooked out the starchy flavour of the flour, about 5-7 minutes, add diced onions, 1 teaspoon salt and 1 teaspoon pepper, continue cooking until onions are soft and translucent
3) add minced garlic and cook another 5 or so minutes
4) whisk in vegetable broth, mushrooms and heavy cream, simmer soup about 15 minutes
5) Meanwhile prepare your dumplings by mixing all ingredients in large mixing bowl creating a sticky dough mixture - set to the side until ready to use
6) add bourbon and fresh thyme to soup pot, taste soup for seasoning, which it will need, then drop dumplings by large spoonfuls into simmering soup - cover and allow dumplings to steam for 3-5 minutes until cooked through

Ladle soup into individual serving bowls and top with grated Parmesan cheese - Serve!

Note: If you decide to make traditional biscuits, because you know how and you have a recipe that works, omit the dumplings and simply pour finished soup into individual serving bowls, top with unbaked biscuits, sprinkle with grated cheese and place in oven on broil until your soup is bubbling hot and the biscuits are golden brown. 
        

                               This recipe makes 6 servings

I

See, my biscuits look more like puffy marshmallows!