Creamy Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

Mushrooms – 1 lb, sliced (button and baby bellas)
Shallots – 2, sliced
Butter – 2 tbsp
Garlic – 1 Tbsp, finely chopped
Salt – 1/2 tsp or to taste
Clove Powder – 1/4 tsp
Italian Seasoning – 1 tsp
Lemon Juice – 1 to 2 tsp (or to taste)
Extra Virgin Olive Oil – 2 Tbsp
All-Purpose Flour (Maida) – 3 Tbsp
Vegetable or Chicken Stock – 7 cups
All-Purpose Flour (Maida) – 2 Tbsp
Water – 1/4 cup
Red Chili Flakes – to taste (optional)
Half and Half/Milk – to taste
Black Pepper – to taste


Method:

1. In a wide skillet, melt Butter.
2. Add Shallots and allow them to lightly brown.
3. Add Mushrooms and saute them until moisture evaporates.
4. Add Garlic, Salt, Clove Powder and Italian Seasoning. Saute until Mushrooms lightly caramelize.
5. Turn off stove, add Lemon Juice and mix through. Remove Mushrooms into a separate bowl or plate.
6. In the same pan, heat Olive Oil on low heat.
7. Add All-Purpose Flour and keep mixing until flour changes color to light pink.
8. Slowly add Broth and keep whisking to ensure that lumps do not form. In case lumps form, you can use an immersion blender to break them down.
9. Bring to a boil and continue cooking for 5 minutes.
10. In a small bowl, mix 2 Tbsp of All-Purpose Flour with 1/4 Cold Water (make sure there are no lumps).
11. Slowly add the mixture into the broth while continuously mixing. Bring to a boil.
10. Add sauteed Mushrooms back into the broth and add Crushed Red Chili Flakes. Bring to a boil.
11. Add Half and Half to achieve desired richness.
12. Adjust salt, lemon juice and add Black Pepper to taste.