Cream of mushroom soup

Ingredients:

• 40 g dried porcini (or any other) mushrooms
• 7 cups chicken broth, homemade or store-bought, lightly salted
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 5 cloves garlic, crushed
• 300 g of chopped champignons
• 2 leeks (white part only), thinly sliced
• 2 medium shallots, thinly sliced
• 7 tablespoons flour
• 3 sprigs of parsley
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 0.5 cups heavy cream
• 1 tsp Madeira
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt

Preparation:

1. Place the dried mushrooms in a large bowl. Bring the broth to a boil and pour it over the mushrooms. Let them soak for 20 minutes. Remove the mushrooms with a slotted spoon, leaving the broth in the bowl. Coarsely chop the mushrooms.
2. In a large saucepan, heat the butter over medium-high heat. Add the button mushrooms and swollen mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms soften and the liquid has evaporated slightly, about 6 minutes. Add the leeks and shallots and cook, covered, stirring occasionally, until the onions are translucent, about 4 minutes. Add the flour and cook, stirring, for another 2 minutes.
3. Pour in the mushroom broth, being careful not to let any sand from the bottom of the bowl fall into the pan, and bring to a boil, stirring constantly. Tie the parsley sprigs, fresh thyme, and bay leaf with kitchen string and add to the soup. Reduce the heat and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove from heat and let cool.
4. Remove and discard the herb bundle. Pour the soup into a blender in several batches and blend until smooth. Hold a sieve over a large bowl and strain the mushroom soup. Return to the saucepan and reheat over medium heat.
5. Stir in the cream, Madeira, and salt and pepper to taste. Ladle the soup into warm bowls and serve immediately.