Creamy Mushroom Soup

If my high school Economics teacher remembers me at all, I think he’d be proud that I’m consciously putting some economics theory into practice. Namely FIFO, or the practice of First-In-First-Out.

I’m trying to get into the habit of clearing out the fridge once a week, and I’m instigating a FIFE program. Or the practice of First-In-First-Eat – the older stuff to be eaten first before we buy fresh ones. It’s a bit of scary task because sometimes I really don’t want to know what mouldy/slimey/shriveled vegetable or fruit is lurking in the back of my fridge. Because if – ok, when I do find something, I feel bad having to throw it out (even if it does go to our pet worms), or worse, trying to find something useful to do with it. Like cooking it.

I knew my program wasn’t working too well when Daddyken came home from the shops with a lovely bag of plump, white button mushrooms (which I put on the shopping list). And I’d just found a bag of half shriveled brown ones (they used to be plump and white) crammed in the back corner of the fridge from 2 weeks ago.

But you know sometimes when things just align and come together right before your eyes when you least expect it? Well, today was one of my alignment days. Daddyken asked me what I wanted to do with the 2 leeks that a neighbour had given him a few days before, at the precise moment that I found half a bottle of cream that was nearing its use-by date. Mushrooms. Leeks. Cream. Just like that Ebony and Ivory song, but with mushrooms, leeks and cream.

This is a mushroom soup recipe based on one that Daddyken’s aunt gave me a few years ago, but I never got around to making it because I’ve never accidentally had mushrooms, leeks and cream in the one place, at the same time, begging to be used. And I’m cooking another yummy non-protein meal. Destiny was never so obvious as today.

Gluten free

Serves 3 – 4

Ingredients

• 60 g butter
• 1 – 2 leeks, white part only, chopped
• 250 g mushrooms, chopped
• 1 cup chicken stock
• 1/4 cup white wine
• 1 teaspoons Dijon mustard
• 2 teaspoons chopped chives
• 3 – 4 slices sourdough bread (optional)

Let’s Cook!

• Melt butter in a pot on medium-high heat
• Add leeks and cook until soft
• Add mushrooms, chicken stock, wine and Dijon mustard
• Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes
• Add cream and take off the heat
• Puree with a stick blender
• Stir in chives and serve with sourdough bread

Notes:

• I used 2 leeks because the ones we had were half the size of the regular ones I buy from the shops, and I also needed to use them up : )