Spring’s gifts and pantry treasures

I’m going to streamline my challenge updates since I’ve been such a good girl and just concentrate on the pantry. Here is my first.

One of the recipes that my poor family had to have over and over again while I was learning to cook (let’s face it I still haven’t stopped learning) as a kid was mushroom bisque. Bless my mom for choking it down because to begin with I doubt it was very tasty and she Hates (I don’t use the ‘h’ word often) mushrooms. I’ve hopefully improved since.

I hadn’t made bisque in a long time but I had a number of mushrooms quickly turning in the fridge and a humungous thing of dried mushrooms that I’ve slowly been making my way through for AWHILE (darn you Costco and your temptations!).

I watched “Fresh” with Anna Olsen the other day and she made me make this right away. I’ve used the seasonings from the recipe that I always use but I like her idea of not making a rue and instead using a potato as a thickener. If I have a chance I will get some puff pastry and top the whole thing like she did too. Mind you-it’s awfully nice on it’s own.

Simply sweat one medium onion in a bit of butter until soft.

Add; 1 litre of chicken stock, 4 cups of mushrooms (I had three fresh and one dry), 1 minced garlic clove (I used two more lovely garlic ramps because I didn’t want to waste any), 1 medium potato cut into a medium dice, 2 sprigs of fresh thyme (or 1/2 tsp.), half cup of white wine (optional) and salt and pepper to taste.