Georgia Portabella Mushroom Soup

On a trip to Georgia a few years back I came across a portabella soup that sparked my interest. I remember walking into this small restaurant and wanting something warm to help ease the crisp night air. This soup looked good, so I ordered it. I tried for months to try and mimic the recipe and it finally came through. I suggest this soup for cooler days as part of a hearty meal. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did. 

What ya need:

• ¼ cup of unsalted butter
• 5 chopped leeks (about 3 cups)
• 1 onion (roughly chopped)
• 10 ounces of portabella mushrooms (chopped – so about 4 cups)
• ¼ cup of all-purpose flour
• 3 cups of quality chicken stock
• 4 tablespoons of dry sherry
• 2 cups of Half & Half
• ¼ teaspoon of cayenne pepper
• ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper (or white pepper, your choice)

Ok, so:
In a big pot, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the leeks and onion and sauté until the onions grow soft. This should take about ten minutes or so. Then add the mushrooms and let them sauté with the onions and such for another five minutes. Reduce the heat to low and add flour. Stirring occasionally, cook this mixture until it is thick. Then stir in the chicken stock and 2 tablespoons of the sherry. Bring to a boil, as you stir often. After about 10 minutes on low heat, stir in the half & half. Let this simmer for another 10 minutes and then stir in the cayenne pepper and black pepper. Stir in the last two tablespoons of the sherry and serve hot. This can be prepared about four hours in advance.