Mushroom-Hummus Soup

Ingredients:

2 tablespoons EVOO

2 shallots sliced 

1 1/4 lbs cremini mushrooms, wiped and sliced (I used 2-10oz packages)

Salt and pepper to taste

2-3 cloves garlic, minced

2 tablespoons madeira wine, marsala wine or brandy (I used marsala)

4-6 cups low sodium chicken stock

1 teaspoon thyme (or 2 sprigs)

3/4 cup hummus (store bought or homemade - see my previous hummus post)

Directions:

Heat EVOO in medium-sized saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and cook until soft, about 3 minutes. Add mushrooms, season with salt and pepper and cook about 15 minutes until liquid from mushrooms evaporates. Add garlic and cook 1 minute. Add wine or brandy and cook for 2 minutes, scraping any browned bits. Add thyme and broth and simmer gently, stirring occasional for 30 minutes. 

If you used thyme sprigs, remove sprigs...if used dried thyme, there is nothing to remove. Stir the hummus into the soup. 

Transfer half the soup to a food processor or blender (remove cap so steam can escape) and purée to desired consistency. You can either pour back into saucepan or purée the other half. I puréed  the whole soup then heated through for about 15 minutes. 

Optional -- juice 1 lemon into soup, stir and add salt and pepper to taste. 

Soup fully puréed makes (1) 32oz jar of soup. 

Eat, Enjoy and Be Happy!!