Mushroom Soup

Serves: 6 8 oz. Each of (portabello, button, portini, crimini mushrooms, or use 4 different kinds of your favorite wild mushrooms) quartered. Can use dried mushrooms but must rehydrate in either broth or warm water for at least 30 minutes. Strain that broth and use in soup as part of the required broths. 2 Tbls. Butter 2 Tbls. Olive Oil 1 Medium Onion, Chopped 1 Clove Garlic, Chopped 1/4 Cup Dry White Wine Or Cooking Sherry 1/2 Tsp. Each Fresh Or Dried Herbs   (Thyme, Basil, Sage Or Whatever You Have!   Provencal Mix Is Nice Too) 1 Bay Leaf 4 Cups Chicken Broth 2 Cups Beef Broth 1 1/2 Cups Half & Half Or Small Container Of Lite Sour Cream Salt & Pepper To Taste Melt the butter in a large soup pot, add olive oil and saute the chopped onion & garlic over medium eat for about 5 minutes. Add all the mushrooms and the herbs and saute for about 10 minutes or until the mushrooms are softened. Add and the wine and cook for about 5 minutes to dissipate alcohol. Add all broth and cream. If using sour cream be sure to stir out all the lumps and let simmer for 1 hour - try not to let it boil or it could curdle the cream. Puree the soup in the pot with the "boat motor" or hand processor/wand - it's a god send for soups! I've even made this recipe without any cream, and because you puree it, it still gives it a somewhat thick consistency. If you don't have a hand processor, you can puree in batches in a food processor (but you may want to let it cool a bit then reheat after you've got it all pureed). Consistency is up to you. We like it thick with tiny bits of the mushroom almost like a bisque, but you don't have to puree it that finely to have larger chunks.