Cremini Mushroom Soup for the Winter Solstice

One of my favorite days every year is the day of the winter solstice - the shortest day of the year, after which I know, the day starts growing and the mornings and evenings will not be so dark. 

The soup in my today's menu is easy to prepare and very, very tasty. Do you know what makes it special? The mixture of cremini and wild mushrooms and, of course, the cognac, which adds its specific aroma. This is the source of the recipe.

Ingredients:

• 1 pound (500g) cremini mushrooms, stems separated from caps
• ½ pound (250g) other mushrooms, stems separated from caps
• 1 medium onion, minced
• 1 oz (30g) cognac
• 1 Tbsp dry thyme
• 4 Tbsp butter
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 4 cups vegetable stock
• 4 Tbsp chopped chives (optional)
• ½ cup whipping cream
• Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Preparation:

Chop the mushroom stems and slice the caps, put in a pot without a lid and simmer in the butter for about 10 minutes until most of the mushroom liquid is released.

Meanwhile put chopped onion in a skillet with the olive oil and sauté until transparent (about 10 minutes) on medium heat. Add the cognac and cook until most of the cognac has evaporated. Add thyme, salt and pepper, stir to incorporate and add onion to the pot with mushrooms. Cook for additional 10 minutes covered and add the vegetable stock. Simmer for 15 minutes. Serve with 1 Tbsp of whipping cream and some chopped chives in every plate.