Mushroom Bisque

I didn't think that I would quickly find a soup that I liked better than carrot, but it has happened; and on p. 21, seven pages before carrot in the Moosewood cookbook. Here it is:

• 6 Tbsp butter
• 1 stalk celery
• 3 fist-sized potatoes
• 1.5 cups chopped onion
• 1.5 cups stock or water
• approx. 2 tsp. salt
• 1.5 lbs. fresh mushrooms
• 1/4 tsp. thyme
• 3 cups milk, scalded
• 1 cup heavy cream
• 2-3 Tbsp dry sherry (I used 3)
• 1-2 Tbsp. Tamari (which is a deluxe soy sauce; I used reg. soy)
• fresh black pepper
• freshly-chopped chives or scallions

Slice potatoes thinly. Chop celery and mushrooms coarsely. Begin cooking the onion in butter, adding 1 tsp. salt. When the onion becomes translucent add the potatoes and the celery. Continue to cook over fairly low heat, mixing well, so the butter coats everything. After several minutes add the mushrooms, water, and remaining salt. Cover and cook over medium heat 15 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool to room temperature.

Puree the entire mushroom mixture in a blender until absolutely smooth. Return it to a soup kattle (if possible, use a double boiler or a "waffle" heat-absorbing pad) and heat very slowly, with utmost care, as you whisk in the scalded milk, cream, sherry, and tamari. Heat only until hot enough to serve! If cooked or boiled, this soup will easily curdle and loose its texture.

Serve immediately, topped with freshly-chopped chives and freshly-grated black pepper. This soup goes well with garlic croutons.