One of my responsibilities in the test kitchen at Bon Appétit is preparing “family meal” for the staff every day. This is typical for new hires in kitchens. It is a great way to organically test our skills and creativity and get everyone fed. I fear this task for obvious reasons. What if they don’t like what I make? It’s only the editing team of one of the best food magazine’s out there, right? However, I also see it as an opportunity to do what I love…create recipes, cook and share food with others.
In addition, preparing family meal gives me some recipes to share with you. I clearly can’t discuss the recipes I am working on for the magazine. I can tell you they are absolutely amazing and I am learning so much every day. I am astounded by the work that goes into deciding on, preparing and cross-testing the recipes in each issue. The team is so talented. I feel lucky to be a part of it!
I was handed a very large bag of mushrooms to use for family meal a few days ago. The first thing that came to mind was soup. I don’t generally eat cream of mushroom soup because I find it a bit heavy. This one is really nice because it is thickened with a combination of milk and rice flour, not heavy cream. The paprika adds a rich smoky flavor. This is a great recipe to enjoy throughout the Fall and Winter months!
- 2 Tbl butter
- 1 Tbl olive oil
- 1 onion, diced
- 1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 Tbl gluten-free soy sauce (tamari)
- 4 cups chicken broth
- 2 sprigs of fresh dill or parsley
- 1 cup milk
- 3 Tbl rice flour or gluten-free all-purpose flour blend
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Melt the butter and heat olive oil together, in a large pot over medium heat.
- Saute the onions until softening and slightly translucent.
- Add the mushrooms and saute until beginning to soften, about 5 minutes.
- Season the mixture with salt and pepper and stir in the paprika, soy sauce, chicken broth and dill or parsley.
- Reduce heat to low, cover, and simmer for 15 minutes.
- In a separate small bowl, whisk the milk and flour together. Pour this into the soup and stir well to blend. Cover and simmer for 15 more minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt and pepper.
- Serve and enjoy!
