Khobar Mushroom Soup

Cooking Instructions

STOCK: Start with roasting any chicken with an apple inside, cut only in half. Strip the carcass of all fat, skin and obvious meat. If you are brave, even take the leftover long bones and add them into the stock After 24 hours, they will be sterile anyway. Simmer in a glass or stainless steel (NO ALUMINUM OR IRON POTS, PLEASE) fully covered with water on very low heat for 24 hours. At the end of 24 hours, strain out and remove all solids with a collander, putting the liquid back into the same pot, skim off any remaining fat - a piece of bread laid in the fat will absorb it very nicely, then remove the bread. ADD TO STOCK: The ginger, grated coarse. The quartered apple, the garlic sections, hearts removed. (YOU MUST remove the hearts or there is a chance the soup will curdle when the cream is added), and all dry ingredients (Tarragon, mustard, pepper) DO NOT add salt at any time during the preparation. Simmer for another 8-12 hours. Add water as needed to keep to about 2 quarts. Strain again back into the same pot. Chop the mushrooms very fine or run them through a food processor. Add to the stock together with one cup of sherry. Simmer for 4-12 hours. Allow to reduce to 1 quart of liquid. 30 minutes prior to serving: Add the last cup of sherry and one quart of heavy cream - VERY - SLOWLY - stirring all the time. Bring back to simmer, stirring all the time. If you have a Mixing Wand (Immersion Blender/Krups Blender), it now to thorougly blend the ingredients while simmering, but this step is NOT necessary. While stirring, add the roux slowly. Simmer until desired thickenss is achieved. Serve hot. Salt-to-taste AT THE TABLE. If it is salted in the pot, it might go lumpy very suddenly. Enjoy it!