Week 2 - Cream of....

This week we tackled a recipe favorite. It's the funk that makes casseroles funky and creamy. We tackled the infamous cream of soup. To be specific we made both cream of mushroom and cream of chicken. I'm pretty sure you could make almost any "cream of" soup from the mushroom recipe. Just substitute the mushrooms for jalapenos, or celery, or whatever. I really really really do not like mushrooms but in a side by side taste test, by both the Nerd and his mom, they agreed the cream of mushroom was really similar. The home made just tasted a little more fresh and strong. The same goes for the cream of chicken (I actually tasted that one). In a side by side tasting of a chicken and rice casserole made with a combination of the two there were no complaints. It was just "a tiny bit different" but "the consistency was the same". I consider that a victory! So if you are desperately missing cream of soups, here's a recipe for you!

Do be aware these are fresh not condensed soups. Where you will need to add water to condensed soup none is needed with the fresh. So if your recipe calls for 1 (10oz) can of soup and 1 (10oz) can of water use 20oz soup. Make the liquid equal and you will be fine.

Cream of Chicken Soup

3 1/2 c Chicken Broth

2c Chicken Breast
1/2 m Onion
1 Bay Leaf
1/2 tsp Garlic Powder
Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 c Butter
2 Tbsp Rice Flour (I used brown rice)
2 tsp Guar Gum
1/2 c Heavy Cream

Cut your chicken into 1" cubes and poach in your broth or stock. Add your finely chopped onion, bay leaf, garlic powder, salt, and pepper. Cover and cook on low heat for 20min. Once this is done remove your bay leaf and let cool. (If you have a nicer blender that allows hot liquid you can skip the cooling part. If you don't or you are not sure if your blender allows this please please please let it cool.)

Put your soup into a blender and pulse until your chicken is the desired consistency. If you like bigger chicken chunks pulse it a couple times, for more finely cut up bits pulse it 5 or 6 times.

At this point melt your butter in the bottom of a sauce pan. Then whisking the entire time add in your rice flour then your guar gum. Whisk that for about a minute before adding your soup back into the pan.

Then whisk whisk whisk some more over very low heat. You should feel the soup begin to thicken. Turn off the heat and while whisking (yeah, even more) slowly add in your cream. Store in jars or baggies in your desired amount (I used 20oz mason jars that used to be spaghetti sauce jars) and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

I have not tried freezing this but have read mixed reviews on freezing cream soups. It seems the cream sometimes separates or gets a "funky flavor" after being frozen. On the other hand people that exclusively use cream soups for cooking say they don't notice anything like this. Feel free to experiment and let me know how it goes.

Because this is not condensed soup this will make 2 "servings", that is 40oz of soup.

Cream of Mushroom Soup

For the most part these are very similar, the methods are the same, it's just a minor change of ingredients.

3 1/2 c Chicken Broth

1oz Dried Porcini Mushrooms

1/2 m Onion

1/2 lb White Button Mushrooms

Salt and Pepper to taste
1/4 c Butter
2 Tbsp Rice Flour
2 tsp Guar Gum
1/2 c Heavy Cream

Put your chicken broth and dried porcini mushrooms over medium heat. Cook for 10 minutes until mushrooms are re-hydrated then fish the mushrooms back out and set aside. Add your finely chopped onion and sliced button mushrooms into the infused broth.

Cook covered over low heat for 20 minutes. Then let cool.

Blend to desired consistency.

(Copy and Paste) At this point melt your butter in the bottom of a sauce pan. Then whisking the entire time add in your rice flour then your guar gum. Whisk that for about a minute before adding your soup back into the pan.

Then whisk whisk whisk some more over very low heat. You should feel the soup begin to thicken. Turn off the heat and while whisking (yeah, even more) slowly add in your cream. Store in jars or baggies in your desired amount (I used 20oz mason jars that used to be spaghetti sauce jars) and refrigerate for up to 2 weeks.

This should also make about 40oz of soup.

In terms of casseroles and using this as an ingredient I would say this is a great recipe. The leftovers pictured on the right are gluteny chicken and rice where the casserole on the left was made from the soups today. Overall a big hit! 

Happy eating!

Tori