Creamy mushroom and roasted onion soup

RICH: Creamy mushroom soup. (Stephen Osman / Los Angeles Times / April 16, 2014)

Total time: 40 minutes, plus 1 hour roasting time for the onion

Dear SOS: We had lunch today at the Cave in the Ventura Wine Co. Our guests had the onion-mushroom soup, which was so delicious that they ordered seconds. Could you please get the recipe for us?

-- Richard Mullarky, Ventura

Dear Richard: If you're craving a bowl of rich mushroom soup, this recipe delivers. No less than a pound of cremini mushrooms are simmered with garlic, shallots, onion and buttery Chardonnay.

It all gets puréed with heavy cream for a smooth, velvety finish.

Stir in a little finely chopped roasted onion at the end and garnish each serving with a thin slice of Parmigiano-Reggiano to complete the dish.

Creamy mushroom and roasted onion soup


Servings: 8

Note: Adapted from Gary Daniel of the Cave food and wine bar at the Ventura Wine Co., a retail shop. He recommends serving the soup with a Chardonnay and crusty bread. The roasted onion can be made ahead of time. Roast the onion and allow it to cool, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until needed.

2 onions, divided

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided

Salt Freshly ground black pepper

1 carrot, peeled and chopped

1 rib of celery, peeled and chopped

1 tablespoon minced garlic

1 teaspoon minced shallot

1 pound cremini mushrooms, washed and trimmed of any dry ends

1 cup white wine, preferably Chardonnay