Mushroom Consommé

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                            FOOD FUNNY
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Thanks to Irene DiCaprio for this not-so-true food funny:

An overweight business associate of mine decided it was time to shed
some excess pounds. She took her new diet seriously, even changing her
driving route to avoid her favorite bakery. One morning, however, she
arrived at work carrying a gigantic coffee cake. We all scolded her, but
her smile remained cherubic. "This is a very special coffee cake," she
explained. "I accidentally drove by the bakery this morning, and there
in the window was a host of goodies. I felt this was no accident, so I
prayed, 'Lord, if you want me to have one of those delicious coffee
cakes, let me have a parking place directly in front of the bakery. And
sure enough," she continued, "the eighth time around the block, there it was!"

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                            TODAY'S RECIPE
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Some of my readers are under the impression that I reject the use of
canned soups in all recipes, so let me try to set the record straight
once again: I think canned soups make pretty good soup, and that's about
all they're good for. Here's an example:

Mushroom Consommé

Canned beef consommé diluted according to directions to make 5 cups (1.25 L)
8 oz (225 g) fresh crimini or white mushrooms, sliced
1/2 oz (15 g) cepes or other dried mushrooms, soaked in
1 cup (250 ml) warm water for 20 minutes
1/3 cup (80 ml) Marsala or dry sherry
Chopped fresh chives for garnish

Bring the consommé to a simmer in a large pot over moderate
heat. Add a few tablespoons of the consommé to a skillet and
saute the sliced mushrooms over moderate heat until tender,
about 5 minutes. Drain the cepes and add the soaking liquid to
the pot, being careful not to add the sediment at the bottom.
Slice the cepes and add them to the soup along with the sauteed
mushrooms. Stir in the Marsala and simmer for 5 minutes. Serve
garnished with chopped chives.
Serves 4 to 6.
Received on Tue Mar 30 07:38:01 2010