PUREE OF MUSHROOM SOUP - NEW YORK TIMES

Steps:

• 1. Set aside 4 medium mushrooms for garnish. 2. Stem remaining mushrooms, and cut caps into quarters. 3. Set aside caps. Combine stems with the dried mushrooms in a large saucepan. 4. Add 1 1/2 quarts water and bring to a simmer. Cover, reduce the heat & simmer 30 minutes. 5. Drain mushrooms over a bowl in a strainer lined with cheesecloth, a coffee filter, or paper towels. Squeeze mushrooms to extract all the liquid. 6. Season broth to taste with salt. Discard the dried mushrooms and stems. 7. Heat olive oil (or olive oil and butter) over medium heat in a large, heavy soup pot. Add shallots or onions. 8. Cook, stirring, until tender -- about three minutes for shallots, five for onions. 9. Add garlic. Stir together for about 30 seconds. 10. Add quartered mushrooms and a generous pinch of salt. Cook, stirring often, until mushrooms are tender and have released a lot of juice, about 10 minutes. 11. Add 2 tablespoons of the sherry and the soy sauce, and cook, stirring, for a few minutes. 12. Add stock, bouquet garni and potatoes. Cover and simmer 1 hour. 13. Remove bouquet garni and discard. 14. Puree soup in a blender, covering blender top tightly with a kitchen towel, or use a hand blender in the pot. (You'll get a smoother, more velvety texture with a blender.) 15. Return soup to pot and heat through. Season with salt and pepper. 16. (Optional) Stir in another tablespoon of sherry. 17. Trim the mushrooms you set aside, and slice paper-thin. Toss with the lemon juice. 18. Serve the soup, garnishing each bowl with chopped parsley or slivered sage and sliced fresh mushrooms. Yield: Serves four. Advance preparation: You can make this a day ahead and reheat.