15 large whole shiitake mushrooms
1 tsp. olive oil
1 tsp. butter
1 onion, chopped
1 carrot, chopped
1 tsp. thyme
1 tsp. salt
more salt to taste
pepper to taste
2.5 C. water
1/2 C. half and half
3 green onions, chopped

Slice mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. Heat 1 tsp. olive oil and 1 tsp. butter in a large pan, add sliced mushrooms and cook for about 10 minutes until mushrooms soften. Remove half of cooked mushrooms to a separate plate. To the other half of mushrooms, remaining in a large pan, add chopped onion, carrots, thyme, 1 tsp. salt, pepper to taste. Continue cooking vegetables for 10 more minutes, until onions and carrots soften a bit. Add 2.5 C. water to vegetables (mushrooms, carrots, onions) in the pan, bring to boil and boil on medium heat for 20 minutes. Some liquid should visibly evaporate, leaving reduced stock, but don’t let all water evaporate. add more water if that’s the case. Remove from heat and add the stock you just made (water with mushrooms, carrots, onions) into the food processor. Process the mixture until it achieves puree consistency. Put puree back into the same cooking pan, add reserved cooked mushrooms that you removed to the plate earlier. Add 1/2 C. half and half. Bring to boil, reduce heat to simmer (low heat) and cook covered for 5 minutes, constantly stirring. Add more salt and pepper if desired. Your soup is done at this point, or you can add chopped onions towards the end or use them as garnish, or skip them altogether (depends if you like green onions in your soup).