Recipe: Mom's Sherried Cream of Mushroom Soup

My mom's mushroom soup is ridiculous. Ridiculously good, and ridiculously indulgent. Her margin note in the recipe she shared with me says: "Not a low-calorie dish, but SO worth the calories!" That pretty much sums it up, and also explains why I eat it just once a year, and only on my birthday (you know, when the calories don't count, right?).  Mom has been whipping up a batch for me every year on or around my birthday since I was a teenager.

Ingredients

• 1/4 pound of mushrooms, brushed clean and sliced
• 1/3 cup onion, finely chopped
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup butter
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice
• 3 tablespoons flour
• 1 3/4 cups chicken broth
• 1/4 cup sherry
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper
• 2 cups light cream (Mom uses half-and-half)

Instructions:
1. Sauté mushrooms, onion and garlic in butter.

2. Stir in lemon juice and flour.

3. Gradually stir in chicken broth, sherry, salt and pepper.

4. Cook over low heat until slightly thickened, stirring constantly.

5. Stir in cream and heat, being careful not to let the soup come to a boil, as it will separate.

Serves 6. The soup is best on the day it's made.

This recipe was written by Jessica Webster and originally posted on AnnArbor.com on Oct. 20, 2010.