Fall=Vegan Mushroom Soup

Inspired by the recent cold weather and Le Pain Quotidien's daily vegan soup specials ($5.50 a cup), I decided to make an entire pot of my own. And because I was feeling really radical, I did not consult a recipe. So here it go:

Vegan Mushroom Soup (almost as good as Le Pain's)

1 tbsp olive oil
1 leak, chopped
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
2 potatoes, peeled and chopped
2 packages of mushrooms washed, chopped (I used Crimini and white button, but feel free to get more exotic fungi)
1/4 wine of your choice
3 cups vegetable stock (heed my warning--DON'T get low-sodium)
3 cups water
1 tsp dried sage
1 tsp dried rosemary
1 tablespoon parsley (dried or fresh)
Lots of black pepper and salt
A blender

In a large pot over medium heat, add olive oil, then leeks, garlic and celery. Let them sweat, but not burn (Think The Standard Miami's steamroom). Once softened (about 4 minutes) add potatoes, wine, salt, pepper and toss with a wooden spoon. Cover for about 3-4 minutes. Then add mushrooms--the whole mess of them--and toss again.

Let sit for a minute or two, then add liquids. Cover and bring to a boil. Once boiling (shrooms should shrink considerably), lower heat to low. Take slotted spoon and remove two cups of the vegetables, leaving liquid and other half of the veggies. Take the liquid half and puree in a blender.

NOW--this did not make the thick puree I had hoped. I think more potatoes will get you a thicker soup. Nevertheless, a thinner broth never hurt anyone with the remnants of swine flu. So we carry on...

Once blended, place liquids back in pot, and return your veggies to the pot. Bring heat back up, and add sage, rosemary, parsley, LOTS of pepper and salt. If you're like me and bought low-sodium vegetable broth, you will also want to add soy sauce. Otherwise, salt should do.

Now let sit over low heat for about 10 minutes, whilst you set the table for your sweetie--or in my case--your 70-year-old second cousin. Dish it out, and a star is born:


Add some more parsley to the top for garnish.

*Disclaimer: this soup is vegan, but it is not award-winning. It could use a little oomph, so if you make it and have ideas for spices or dairy-free thickeners, i'm all ears.