Recipe: Warm your soul with The Grape’s infamous mushroom soup

Owner Brian Luscher is revealing his secret.

Photo by Rich Vana

The Grape’s Mushroom Soup, performed at home, an extra pinch of thyme added for garnish.

DALLAS — At The Grape Restaurant on Lower Greenville, the Mushroom soup has become an icon. Hot, hearty and comforting, the dish has been a staple at The Grape for more than three decades, and is still made according to the original recipe.

“Every single new chef that has come into the Grape has been compelled to ‘fine tune’ the recipe,” says The Grape’s Chef/Owner Brian Luscher. “But like the siren’s song leading captains and their ships to certain demise, our guests let the chef’s know, ‘There’s something wrong with the soup! The soup isn’t the same.’ Even though the new formulation is very good, maybe even ‘better,’ it’s just not the same. They always return to the original recipe.”

Luscher estimates that a cup of this soup sold for $0.35 when it was first introduced. Today, it’s a little bit more, but with this recipe you can feel free to stock up at home – as Luscher observes, this freezes well, so making enough for 16 servings is simply good planning.

Catch Brian and a slew of other top-notch area chefs January 29th at this year’s Soup’s On! event, benefiting The Stewpot Alliance.

Mushroom Soup à la The Grape

YIELD: 16 Servings

The Mushroom Soup has been a staple at The Grape for more than three decades, and is still made according to the original recipe.

Ingredients

2.5 Pounds Button Mushrooms Washed and Chopped*

1 Large, White Onion Small Dice

2 Cloves Garlic Crushed and Minced

1 Bay Leaf, Dry

Sprig Thyme, Fresh

1/4 Cup Dry Sherry (Optional)**

1/2 Pound Butter Unsalted

1 Cup All-Purpose Flour

3 Quarts Beef Broth or Stock

2 Cups Heavy Cream

1/2 teaspoon Nutmeg ground

To Taste Salt & Pepper

Instructions

1. In a heavy bottomed 6-8qt stock or soup pot, melt the butter over medium low heat.

2. Add the onion, garlic, bay leaf and thyme, and cook until translucent.

3. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook until most of the water comes out of them. Add the sherry, if using, and reduce by 1/2.

4. Add the flour and stir well to avoid lumps (if you do get some, it's okay- they can be pureed out later). Slowly whisk in the broth or stock and bring to a simmer over medium high heat. You must continue to stir the soup at this point, or the bottom may scorch.

5. When the soup comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes uncovered, stirring occasionally. Finish by adding the heavy cream and nutmeg, and add salt and pepper to taste.

6. Remove the thyme and bay leaf, and puree the soup either in a blender, or with a hand held blender.

Notes: This recipe may easily be cut in half, but it is worth making the whole batch because it freezes so well. *Chef's note: This can be easily accomplished in a food processor. **Editor's note: When a chef says an ingredient is optional, do yourself a favor and pretend that it's not.