Golden Cream Of Mushroom Soup With Crispy Shallots & Creme Fraiche

To make crispy shallots, cook in a thin layer of olive oil until golden (not too high of a heat, or they can easily burn).

Set aside, on a paper towel.For the soup:In a Dutch Oven, heat a little bit of olive oil and butter-- just enough for a thin coating.

Cook the mushrooms for about 3-5 minutes, until golden.

Set aside.Using the same pot, add a little more olive oil and saute the sliced shallots until tender.Add the garlic and cook for about 1 minute.Season with a little kosher salt, pepper and dried thyme.Add the flour, stir and cook for about one minute.Return the mushrooms to the cooked shallots, add tomato paste and about 1 cup of the chicken stock.

Stir to combine.All the remaining chicken stock and simmer for about 10 minutes.Puree the soup in batches, carefully, in a blender.

I prefer to use an immersion blender right into the pot, which is so much simpler!Puree to your liking-- I leave small chunks of mushroom.Add the heavy cream/half & half.Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche and the crispy shallots on top.