Creating a blog was out of the question for a long time for me, as measuring everything in the kitchen was like biting into an eggshell. I enjoy cooking and don’t want to waste even a slightest bit of enjoyment in that small world of mine. But little did I know that everything will change, when my husband came home with the Oscar nominated film ‘Julie and Julia’( a real life story) where Julie Powell (part played by Amy Adams) challenged herself to make all the 524 recipes from Julia Child's cook book ‘Mastering the Art of French Cooking’ and blogging all her experiences (The Julie/Julia Project). It was an inspiring movie. A few days later when we were discussing this casually with a friend of ours over tea…everything changed dramatically…..” How about you making at least half of it in one year? Not French but your own. 262 recipes that will inspire others and present it as a blog?” For a minute my mind traveled faster than light… With an experience as a helper in my mother in laws kitchen for 6 years followed by a three year everyday struggle to satisfy the palate of my foodie husband, if I cannot do it then why should I cook? But on the other side with an experience in English literature extending no more than expanding outline stories in English grammar class when I was 18 and two small kids that come in handy at times, will a commitment for the next one year work? Anyway my ‘cook's ego’ didn’t allow me to say no...

So my friends …here I am opening my recipe book, trying to perfect and present 262 recipes in the coming 365 days….A Challenge that will of course tastes good. Come.. Have a walk with me along my journey.. Cheering and inspiring….Forgiving and tolerating…Testing and tasting….for ‘A Tasty Challenge’

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Thursday, June 3, 2010

Cream of Mushroom Soup

Recipe No: 22
Ingredients
  • Mushroom Caps sliced……15 big ones (If the mushrooms are small use more. I used
                                                         Button Mushrooms. Separate the Caps and the stems)
  • Butter…………………………….3 Tablespoons
  • Flour/ Maida…………………..3 Tablespoons
  • Mushroom stock…………….2 ½ cups (Recipe follows)
  • Cream…………………………...1 cup
  • Spring Onion chopped……..2 Tablespoons (optional)
    Method of Preparation
    1. Wash, peel and slice the Mushroom caps. Reserve the stems and the peels to make the stock.
    2. Heat butter in a pan on medium high heat and saute the mushroom slices till brown. Mushrooms tend to absorb the butter. If you add more Butter it will absorb more. But once fried it will release the butter back into the pan. So I will advice not to add more butter than said in the recipe.
    3. Add the flour and saute on medium heat till the raw smell is gone for around 4 minutes.
    4. Add the Mushroom stock and mix well so that there are no lumps. Allow it to boil for 4 to 5 minutes.
    5. Add cream and spring onion (if using) and allow boiling along the edges.
    6. Switch off the flame and serve hot.
    Ingredients to make Mushroom stock
    • Oil………………………………..2 Tablespoon
    • Onion chopped……………1/3 cup
    • Celery chopped……………1/2 a stalk
    • Spring Onion………………..5 no
    • Mushroom stems………..15 no. (Chopped)
    • Water…………………………..3 cup
    • Salt and Pepper to taste
    Method of Preparation
    1. Heat oil in a pressure cooker and saute Onion, Celery, Spring onion and Mushroom stems till the mushroom stems are brown in color. Sauteing till brown is essential as it imparts the rich brown color to the stock.
    2. Add Salt, Pepper and Water, close the lid and allow the pressure cooker to whistle once. Turn the heat to medium and cook for 30 to 45 minutes. If you don’t have a pressure cooker, simmer it for one hour. In that case add more water.
    3. Once the pressure is cooled strain the stock. Don’t squeeze the vegetables very hard.
    4. This will yield around 2 ½ cups.
    Notes: Instead of Cream it is perfectly okay to use half and half or fat free evaporated milk. Using regular milk or reduced fat milk will make the soup a bit on the brown side, but still that too will taste good.

     


    Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and
    serve it to your family with love…

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