Yield: 8 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups)

Ingredients

1 Tblsp teaspoons butter
2.5 cups chopped onion
1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms (if can’t find dried, use 1 cup fresh)
2 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon
1 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
3 garlic cloves, minced
2/3 cup dry white wine
2 tsp sea salt, divided
1 teaspoon cracked black pepper
1 (16-ounce) package button mushrooms, chopped
1 (16-ounce) package baby bella mushrooms, chopped
2 slices whole wheat bread
8 cups water
2 mushroom-flavored dry bouillon cube (can use vegetable cube)
1 cup half-and-half
3 Tblsp chopped fresh chives

Preparation

Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, porcini mushrooms, tarragon, thyme, and bay leaf; sauté 10 minutes or until onions are lightly browned. Add garlic, and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently. Add wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits. Add 1.5 teaspoon salt, pepper, button mushrooms, and baby bella mushrooms. Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Place bread in a food processor; pulse several times or until crumbly. Add the breadcrumbs, water, and bouillon cube. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes. Discard bay leaves.

Puree mushroom mixture with an emersion blender (or place about 3 cups mushroom mixture at a time in a blender; process until smooth.). Store in refrigerator.

Reheat, then stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and half-and-half. Top each serving with 1 teaspoon chives.