Russian Mushroom and Potato Soup Recipe

The baby was fussing in the evening, so Vadim took over the kitchen duties. He cooked this soup while I sat on a bar stool in the middle of the kitchen so David could stare at the ceiling fan. It distracted him long enough to finish his bottle and doze off to sleep. I got to enjoy the soup afterwards. It was creamy and delicious. The ultimate comfort soup! If you love mushrooms as much as I do; you will likely add this to your recipe repertoire!

Cost to make: $9 to $11
Servings: 10 to 12

Ingredients:
4 to 5 medium potatoes, peeled and diced
1 pound fresh mushrooms, sliced
1 cup half and half
2 large carrots, sliced
½ cup chopped green onion (fresh or frozen)
6 cups chicken broth
¼ cup all-purpose flour
3 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 teaspoons chopped dill (fresh, dried or frozen) plus extra for garnish
1 bay leaf
1 teaspoons salt (add more at the end to taste)
1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

How to make Russian Mushroom and Potato Soup:
1. Melt  3 tablespoons butter in a large soup pot over medium heat. Add the carrots and green onion and sauté 5 minutes.

2. Add 6 cups chicken broth. Season with salt, pepper, 2 teaspoons dill and throw in the bay leaf.

3. Add the chopped potatoes – cover and cook for 20 minutes. Potatoes should be firm but tender.

4. Heat 2 tablespoons olive oil in a large skillet over medium high heat. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 5 to 7 minutes until they are lightly browned. Add to soup pot.

5. In a separate mixing bowl, combine half-and-half and ¼ cup flour until smooth. Slowly stir into the soup and bring to a gentle boil. Soup will thicken.

If you really want it to look like Russian soup, garnish each bowl with some more chopped dill before serving.

Notes:
For a healthier version, replace all butter with olive oil.
If you buy big bunches of green onion or dill, you can freeze the rest. Just rinse, dry on paper towels, chop and freeze. It freezes really well in sour cream or yogurt containers.