Creamy Mushroom And Swiss Soup

• 1/2 cup dried porcini mushrooms
• 2 cups boiling water
• 1 Fat leek (white and pale green parts) sliced lengthwise and then cut crosswise in 1/4 inch half moons
• 1 Clove garlic, minced
• 6 tablespoons butter, divided (3/3)
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1/4 cup AP flour
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/2 teaspoon black pepper
• 1 12-ounce bottle light lager
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 8 ounces Shiitake mushroom caps sliced about 1/4 to 1/3 inch
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 4 ounces Gruyere cheese, finely shredded
• Salt and pepper for re-seasoning

1. Place the porcini mushrooms in a bowl and pour the boiling water over. Let stand to re-hydrate for 20 to 30 minutes.
2. In a medium size soup pot, gently saute the sliced leek and minced garlic in 3 tablespoons of the butter, until the leek softens but does not brown. Stir in the thyme leaves, salt and pepper.
3. Sprinkle and stir in the flour while on medium heat for just a minute or two. Add the beer and bring up to the boil, stirring.
4. Strain the porcini liquid and then add it to the pot along with the re-hydrated porcini. Add the chicken broth and bring the mixture up to a boil and then simmer for 10 to 15 minutes.
5. Cool the soup and then process it in a blender, in batches, until smooth. You may still see flecks of the Porcini but that's a good thing. Return the soup to the pot.
6. In a large saute pan cook the sliced Shiitake caps in the remaining 3 tablespoons of butter until they lightly brown. Add them to the soup and then bring the pot back up to a boil.
7. Stir in the cream, lower the heat a bit and then add the shredded Gruyere a half handful at a time while constantly stirring. Re-season the soup with salt and pepper and serve!

porcini mushrooms, boiling water, then, clove garlic, butter, thyme, flour, salt, black pepper, lager, chicken broth, shiitake, heavy cream, gruyuere cheese, salt

Taken from food52.com/recipes/20180-creamy-mushroom-and-swiss-soup (may not work)