Mushroom Soup with Tarragon

  Makes 6 servings (1 1/3 C)
  Prep Time: 10 minutes
  Total Time: 1 hour
  Ease of Preparation: Moderate

Ingredients
  2 teaspoons light butter
  1 ¾ cups chopped onion
  1/3 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about ½ ounce)
  1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon
  ½ teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
  1 bay leaf
  2 garlic cloves
  ½ cup dry white wine
  ½ teaspoon black pepper
  1 (8oz) package cremini mushrooms, chopped
  1 (8oz) package button mushrooms, chopped
  1 slice whole wheat bread
  5 ½ cups vegetable broth
  2/3 cup fat free half-and-half
  2 T chopped fresh chives

Preparation
1. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat.  Add onion, porcini mushrooms, tarragon, thyme, and bay leaf; sauté 10 minutes or until onions are lightly browned.  Add garlic, and cook 2 minutes, stirring frequently.  Add wine, scraping pan to loosen browned bits.  Add pepper, button mushrooms, and cremini mushrooms.  Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Place bread in a food processor: pulse until crumbly.  Add the breadcrumbs and broth.  Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes.  Discard bay leaf.

3. Place about 2 ½ cups mushroom mixture in a blender (or food processor); process until smooth.  Pour pureed soup into a large bowl.  Repeat procedure with the remaining mushroom mixture, 2 1/2 cups at a time.  Stir in half-and-half.  Top each serving with 1 tsp chives

Nutritional Notes: per serving: calories 145; fat 2g (sat 0.7g, mono 0.3g, poly 0.2g); iron 2.6mg; cholesterol 3mg; calcium 97mg; carbohydrate 22g; sodium 505mg; protein 7g; fiber 4g