A friend in need....Is a friend indeed:)

I have a friend whom I affectionately refer to as "Hester the bester". This will be the subject of another blog! But as for now....She gets herself involved in lots of things, and she in turn gets....ME involved in lots of things! We have a "scratch the back" kind of relationship! She helps me, and I help her. Somehow.....She has a book club group being hosted by another member, but somehow....she is doing an appetizer, and several soups, and french bread, and BEAUTIFULLY decorated sugar cookies. Really? There is a local restaurant who shall remain nameless....that has a portabella , artichoke soup. A few years ago when I first tried it, I flipped! DELICIOUS!! I happen to know someone related to one of the owners, and asked if she could possibly get me the recipe. JOKE! He told her that even the individual locations didn't have the recipe, but received a base. He told her what he could tell her, was that is has Lots, and Lots, and Lots of butter! That is like throwing down the gauntlet to me!!! I love a good challenge, and pride myself in the ability to pick out flavors and ingredients in foods. I also love to make them healthier in any way possible. I said to myself.....Self: you can make that soup with 4T. butter or less! Challenge issued, and conquered! I will interject here, that I DO share recipes, and am personally irritated by people who won't! Unless they have a restaurant and it is a source of their livelihood, VERY FEW people make up their own recipes! Most dishes are variations of another, with a different sauce, or different heat source ect. They have found something they like and have staked a claim. For instance....how many recipes do YOU have for chocolate chip cookies??? This is not the old west! Some people have just not learned to SHARE:)
I digress. Hester asked if I would help her make MY (hee hee) recipe for the event. I agreed, and eventually offered to make it for her, which I have done this morning! Even at 9;30 in the morning onions and garlic smell heavenly!!!! I have made the soup many times and refine it as it goes. I make another change this morning which is a winner!! I am sharing the recipe with you in hopes that you will enjoy it as much as I have, and those that I have SHARED it with.

Artichoke/Portabella mushroom soup,
1T. olive oil
2T. butter
1 shallot-diced
1 onion-diced
2 stalks celery -diced
1 c. carrots -diced
5 cloves of garlic-minced
2 portabella mushroom caps 1 small dice, and one with fins removed and 1/2 inch dice
1 can WATER PACKED artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
4 1/2 C. chicken stock
1 tsp. poultry seasoning
4 T. cornstarch
1 heaping tsp. beef base (added today, and GREAT addition for depth of flavor)
1/4 C. white wine**** may substitute vinegar instead, but use about half that amount
1 Cup half and half (I use fat free)
**Put oil and butter in heavy pan and melt butter. Add shallot, onion, carrot, celery, garlic, and the one finely diced mushroom. Saute till soft, abt. 10 minutes. Add 1 Cup stock and simmer 10 minutes more. Make a slurry of 1 C. stock and 4 T. cornstarch and poultry seasoning. Add, and simmer 5 minutes. Add remaining stock, wine,chopped artichokes and second larger dice mushroom cap. Simmer till thickened. Add Salt and pepper to taste, and just prior to serving stir in half and half. DO NOT BOIL AFTER ADDING CREAM!! it will curdle. This soup gets better as it sits, and it freezes very well. If you are going to freeze, don't add cream till serving.

If you try it....let me know what you think of MY recipe:)