Creamy Mushroom Soup With Tarragon

• 2 teaspoons butter
• 1 3/4 cups chopped onion
• 1/3 cup dried porcini mushrooms (about 1/2 ounce)
• 1 teaspoon minced fresh tarragon
• 1/2 teaspoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 teaspoons sea salt, divided
• 1/2 teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 (8-ounce) package button mushrooms, chopped
• 1 (8-ounce) package cremini mushrooms, chopped
• 1 (1 1/4-ounce) slice whole wheat bread
• 5 1/2 cups water
• 1 vegetable-flavored or mushroom dry bouillon cube
• 2/3 cup half-and-half
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh chives

1. Melt butter in a large Dutch oven over medium-high heat. Add onion, porcini mushrooms, tarragon, thyme, and bay leaf; saute 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 1 teaspoon salt, pepper, button mushrooms, and cremini mushrooms. Cook 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
2. Place bread in a food processor; pulse 5 times or until crumbly. Add the breadcrumbs, water, and bouillon cube. Reduce heat; simmer 20 minutes. Discard bay leaf.
3. Place about 2 1/2 cups mushroom mixture in a blender; process until smooth. Pour pureed soup into a large bowl. Repeat procedure with remaining mushroom mixture, 2 1/2 cups at a time. Stir in 1/2 teaspoon salt and half-and-half. Top each serving with 1 teaspoon chives. Yield: 6 servings (serving size: 1 1/3 cups).
4. Wine note: In Europe, rich soups such as this creamy, earthy mushroom soup are often served with a dry amontillado Sherry. If you've never tried this classic combination, now's the time. Osborne Amontillado "Coquinero" Sherry nonvintage from Jerez, Spain ($16) is a great choice. -Karen MacNeil

butter, onion, porcini mushrooms, tarragon, thyme, bay leaf, garlic, white wine, salt, cracked black pepper, button mushrooms, cremini mushrooms, whole wheat bread, water, vegetableflavored, fresh chives

Taken from www.myrecipes.com/recipe/creamy-mushroom-soup-with-tarragon (may not work)