Tara Larsen Chang's Blog

A really lovely version....

Love Home Free....

Hope your day was warm and lovely and surrounded by loved ones and good things to eat. xxxx

 One of my favorite savory delights is this quick and easy Mushroom Soup. I got the recipe from my mother (I'm not sure where she got it from) and have been making a variation of it for nearly 30 years.
 As I've mentioned before, I pretty much cook to taste, or with what I have on hand. For this batch I started by sauteeing crushed garlic in butter until it is golden. I then added thinly sliced mushrooms (the more the better, IMO. I think I had a couple of cups of mushrooms on hand). If your pan feels too dry, add more butter - I probably used 1/3 cup of butter all told. 
Season your mushrooms as they cook as desired - salt, pepper, chili pepper, until they are savory and delicious. I also tend to saute them until they are well cooked and starting to caramelize. You can stop sooner if you prefer them that way.
By now, you should have cooked mushrooms swimming in liquid. To this I add a Tablespoon or so of flour so that the liquid bubbles and thickens up. When it's thick, turn off the heat and add a generous squeeze of fresh lemon juice so they are tangy and delicious.
 While your mushrooms are cooking, you can start the broth part of the soup. You'll need about 8 cups of broth of your choice. I used herby homemade chicken stock, but you can use veggie broth or beef or your choice of bouillon. The more flavorful your broth though, the better your soup will taste. To add some extra richness to your broth, you can bring it to a boil and then use some of the hot liquid to temper a couple of eggs to add (if you haven't tempered eggs in soup before, you can see how to do it here). 
When your broth is hot and your mushrooms are done, add your mushrooms to the soup base, stirring until everything is well combined. 
Taste, and adjust your seasonings. Many times I end up adding more lemon at this point. I like it tangy as well as savory. 
Serve with warm, crusty bread and get ready to revel in the yum!

This version - wow....

This version - wow....

In the teensy purse Moleskine balanced upon my knee...

 Long pose life drawing day. Initial block-in...
After about 2 hours. Charcoal on newsprint.

 Earlier this fall, I posted a picture on instagram of some of the funky pineapple quince ripening on the tree in my backyard.
 Quince is not your typical fruit. It is rock hard and astringent.  Not really something you pick and eat out of hand.
 Cook it though, and it becomes a totally different story! There are lots of recipes out there on the interwebs (I used this one for the crop I harvested this fall).
Cooking - with the addition of some sweetening and spices, it transforms into this highly fragrant, spicy elixir of deliciousness. Plus! The fruit magically turns pink and tender. It is a delightful surprise to your palate. If you can run down some quince of your own, give it a try.

Love this by Home Free -