Panera Wild Mushroom Soup Recipes

WILD MUSHROOM SOUP

Steps:

• Melt the butter in a small Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened, about 12 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high, add the mushrooms, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a few grinds of pepper and cook, stirring often, until the mushrooms release their liquid but do not brown, about 8 minutes. Add the chicken broth and bring to a simmer. Simmer, partially covered, for 30 minutes.
• Transfer to a blender and puree until smooth (be careful when blending hot liquids). Add the Marsala if using and season with salt and pepper.
• Pour the soup into 4 bowls. Dollop with the creme fraiche and sprinkle with the chives. Drizzle a tiny bit of olive oil over top.

CREAM OF WILD MUSHROOM SOUP

Steps:

• Clean the mushrooms by wiping them with a dry paper towel. Don't wash them! Separate the stems, trim off any bad parts, and coarsely chop the stems. Slice the mushroom caps 1/4-inch thick and, if they are big, cut them into bite-sized pieces. Set aside.
• To make the stock, heat the olive oil and 1 tablespoon of the butter in a large pot. Add the chopped mushroom stems, the onion, carrot, the sprig of thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper and cook over medium-low heat for 10 to 15 minutes, until the vegetables are soft. Add 6 cups water, bring to a boil, reduce the heat, and simmer uncovered for 30 minutes. Strain, reserving the liquid. You should have about 4 1/2 cups of stock. If not, add some water.
• Meanwhile, in another large pot, heat the remaining 1/4 pound of butter and add the leeks. Cook over low heat for 15 to 20 minutes, until the leeks begin to brown. Add the sliced mushroom caps and cook for 10 minutes, or until they are browned and tender. Add the flour and cook for 1 minute. Add the white wine and stir for another minute, scraping the bottom of the pot. Add the mushroom stock, minced thyme leaves, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt, and 1 teaspoon pepper and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Add the half-and-half, cream, and parsley, season with salt and pepper, to taste, and heat through but do not boil. Serve hot.

WILD MUSHROOM SOUP

Steps:

• Bring broth to boil in medium saucepan. Remove from heat. Add porcini mushrooms to saucepan; let soak until mushrooms soften, about 20 minutes. Drain, reserving broth but discarding any sediment in broth. Coarsely chop porcini mushrooms.
• Heat olive oil in heavy large pot over medium-high heat. Add chopped onions and sauté until tender, about 7 minutes. Add wild mushrooms and button mushrooms and sauté until brown and tender, about 8 minutes. Add minced garlic, thyme, and porcini and sauté 2 minutes. Sprinkle flour over; stir 1 minute. Gradually whisk in reserved porcini soaking liquid and low-fat milk. Bring to boil, stirring frequently. Reduce heat to medium and boil gently until soup thickens slightly, about 12 minutes. Transfer 1 1/2 cups soup to blender and puree until smooth. Return to pot. Bring soup to simmer. Season soup to taste with salt and pepper. Ladle soup into bowls and serve.

COPY-CAT PANERA CREAM OF CHICKEN AND WILD RICE SOUP

Steps:

• Open rice, pull out seasoning packet and set aside.
• In a small bowl, combine pepper and flour. Set aside.
• In a large pot over medium heat, combine broth and chicken. Bring to a boil, then stir in rice. Cover and remove from heat.
• In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt butter. Add carrots, celery and onion and saute for 5 minutes. Stir in contents of seasoning packet, and continue cooking vegetables until softened, about 5 minutes more. Add seasoned flour gradually while constantly stirring, to form a roux. Saute roux for 3-4 minutes to cook out raw flour taste.
• Whisk in cream, a little at a time, until fully incorporated and smooth. Cook until thickened, 5 minutes.
• Stir cream mixture into broth and rice. Cook over medium heat until heated through and rice is done,15-20 minutes.
• Alternatively, for those who cannot get the quick-cooking version of the rice, I have put the broth on to boil and cooked the 25-minute version of long grain and wild rice blend according to the directions, while sauteeing the veggies in the butter. I tend to cook the veggies longer this way, and I like them quite soft. I then follow the rest of the directions above, adding the rice/broth to the cream mixture. I've also used fat-free half and half with no appreciable difference in flavor. Enjoy!