Cream of Mushroom Soup

Clean the leeks by trimming the root end and dark green tops. Slice the white and light green parts, then wash thoroughly to remove any grit and dry completely.

Clean the mushrooms by brushing or wiping them with a damp paper towel. For shiitake mushrooms, remove and reserve the tough stems for stock. Slice the cremini and shiitake mushrooms. Tear the oyster and maitake mushrooms by hand.

Mince the garlic and shallot.

Heat two large skillets over medium heat. Divide 1 stick of unsalted butter between the two pans.

Divide the prepared mushrooms between the two pans. Season with kosher salt, freshly ground black pepper, and 2 teaspoons of fresh thyme in each pan.

Sauté the mushrooms until they are tender and well-caramelized. If the pans seem dry, you can add a little avocado oil. Once cooked, combine all mushrooms into one of the skillets.

In a large 6-quart pot or Dutch oven, melt the remaining 3 tablespoons of unsalted butter over medium heat.

Add the dried leeks to the pot, season with salt and pepper, and sauté until tender and caramelized.

Add the minced shallot and garlic to the mushrooms and sauté until fragrant, about 1 minute.

Sprinkle the all-purpose flour over the mushroom mixture and stir to cook for about a minute.

Deglaze the mushroom pan with the Cognac. Be careful, as the alcohol may ignite. Cook until the flame subsides and the liquid has reduced.

Pour a small amount of chicken stock into the skillet to deglaze, scraping up any browned bits (fond) from the bottom.

Transfer the entire mushroom mixture into the pot with the sautéed leeks.

Pour the remaining chicken stock into the pot. Season again with salt and pepper.

Place the Arborio rice in a piece of cheesecloth and tie it into a loose sachet.

Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Add the rice sachet to the pot.

Simmer for 25 minutes, stirring occasionally, allowing the starch from the rice to thicken the soup.

Remove the rice sachet from the pot, squeezing it to release any remaining starchy liquid back into the soup. Discard the sachet.

Stir in the heavy cream and warm through gently. Do not let it boil. Turn off the heat.

Ladle the soup into bowls. Garnish with a final crack of black pepper and fresh chopped chives. Serve with toasted bread for dipping.