Shiitake & Button Mushroom Soup

Shiitake & Button Mushroom Soup
This delicious soup can be made a day in advance and rewarmed.

Servings: 4

• 2 teaspoons olive oil
• 3 medium shallots, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup dry Marsala wine
• 1 pound white mushrooms, finely chopped
• 1/2 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and reserved and caps thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh thyme or 1/3 teaspoon dried
• Salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 1/2 cups fat-free chicken stock or defatted homemade chicken stock
• 2 teaspoons minced fresh flat-leaf parsley

Heat 1 teaspoon of the oil in a heavy nonstick medium saucepan. Add the shallots and cook over moderate heat, stirring, until slightly softened but not browned, about 4 minutes. Add the Marsala and cook just until evaporated, about 2 minutes.

Add the white mushrooms, shiitake stems, thyme, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper and cook over moderately high heat for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add the chicken stock and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Strain the soup and return it to the saucepan; you should have about 3 cups.

Heat the remaining 1 teaspoon oil in a large nonstick skillet. Add the shiitake mushrooms and season with salt and pepper. Cook over moderate heat, stirring occasionally, until softened and lightly browned, about 5 minutes.

Ladle the hot soup into shallow soup bowls and add the shiitakes. Garnish with the parsley and serve.

Per Serving: 241 Calories; 3g Fat (9.5% calories from fat); trace Saturated Fat; 14g Protein; 51g Carbohydrate; 8g Dietary Fiber; 0mg Cholesterol; 326mg Sodium. Exchanges: 2 1/2 Grain Starch); 1 Lean Meat; 1 1/2 Vegetable; 1/2 Fat.