Creamy Mushroom Soup

1. Heat a large, heavy-bottomed pot (or Dutch oven) over medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of butter. Once melted, add the onion and shallots. Season with a good pinch of salt & black pepper. Cook until softened and starting to brown, 8-10 minutes.
2. Add the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter, along with the mushrooms. Mix well and cook for 8-10 minutes, stirring often. Season again. Stir in the garlic and cook for another minute or so.
3. Raise the heat to medium-high. Add the sherry wine, balsamic vinegar, bay leaf, rosemary, and thyme. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook for about 2 minutes.
4. Pour in the broth. Season well and bring the liquid to a boil. Reduce the heat to medium-low and simmer the soup for 30 minutes, stirring often.
5. Remove the herbs. Ladle the soup into a blender and blend for 90 seconds until smooth (work in batches if needed). Transfer the soup back to the pot over low heat. Stir in the lemon juice and heavy cream until heated through. Taste the soup and season more if needed.
6. Serve warm with the rosemary breadcrumbs and sautéed mushrooms (instructions below) over top, along with freshly cracked black pepper. Optionally, add a drizzle of cream and sprinkle of fresh thyme leaves.

Toppings

1. Tear the bread into small pieces and add it to a food processor, along with the rosemary. Pulse until coarse crumbs are formed.
2. Heat a 12” skillet over medium-high heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom. Once hot, add the shiitake mushrooms. Sauté until browned and tender, just a few minutes. Season with a pinch of salt. Transfer the mushrooms out of the skillet.
3. Add more olive oil to the skillet, enough to come up the sides about an ⅛ of an inch. Once the oil is hot, add the breadcrumbs. Lower the heat to medium-low. Toast for a few minutes until golden and crisp, stirring continuously so they don’t burn. Turn off the heat and season with a pinch of salt.