Soup again...with a side of snow

The calendar says March, but a hefty new snow and temps falling to zero assure me that we’re still in winter.  And I’m still dutifully making winter soups.  I’m still getting oyster mushrooms from Greg at Claybank Farms every couple of weeks, too.  Sometimes I have a plan for them when I buy them, sometimes I don’t.  I’ve found it’s nice, though, to have a fallback recipe for these gems when I don’t know what else to do with them.  My latest fallback recipe might be one of my all-time favorites, and so very easy to do.  You don’t need local oyster mushrooms, but if you’ve got a mix of cremini (mini-portabella), white mushrooms, and/or any wild mushrooms, use any and all!  I make sure I have at least a pound of mushrooms to start with, and more if I have them.

I start by breaking up and browning a pound of bulk Italian sausage from Triple S.  You can use any bulk Italian sausage, including turkey sausage removed from the casings.  If your sausage is mildly spiced, you can always add some red pepper flakes to give this recipe a kick and some added warmth when it’s really nippy outside.

I add a bunch of chopped onion (at least a cup) and some minced garlic (at least four cloves).  If you want to drain the sausage before adding the onion, do so, but make sure to leave some to cook the veggies and bind with flour added later for thickening.  Cook the onions and garlic until almost translucent, then add in the mushrooms.  When the mushrooms are starting to soften and steam, add enough flour to soak up the liquid released, and cook the clumpy mess for a couple of minutes to make sure the flour has been thoroughly combined with the liquid; I usually start with a quarter cup, then add more if necessary.  Add a healthy teaspoon of dried thyme, a tablespoon if you have fresh.  Pour in at least four cups of chicken stock or veggie broth and stir until the clumps disappear.  Since those cartons of grocery store stock are usually four cups, I put in a whole carton, then add a cup or so of water, or part of a carton left over from something else.  I bring it to a boil, then simmer until my family starts whining that they’re hungry, usually about 20-30 minutes. Of course, if you wanted to be super healthy, you could add a few diced carrots or some chopped kale from Blue Moon before bringing it to a boil.  You could throw in leftover rice, if you have some, or pretty much any pasta.  For a really rich treat, add some half and half at the end. None of these is necessary, though; no one will go hungry if you stick to the simple version.  Crusty baguette, goat cheese, and a simple salad of greens (also from Claybank!) in vinaigrette round out this hearty meal. 

Take that, Old Man Winter!