Smooth Mushroom Soup

3 leeks (about 3 ½ pounds), trimmed
8 ounces of shiitake mushrooms
8 ounces of portobello mushrooms, gills removed
8 ounces of cremini mushrooms
4 tablespoons of unsalted butter
1 large russet potato, peeled and cut into 2-inch cubes
1 ounce of dried porcini mushroom
8 cups of hot water
2 tablespoons of dry sherry
Salt to taste
Freshly ground black pepper to taste
Chopped fresh chives for garnish
Croutons for garnish

Cut the leeks to divide them into white and green parts. Cut all the parts in half lengthwise, keeping the pieces separated by color. Cut all the pieces crosswise into ¼-inch-thick strips.

Rinse the cut leeks, keeping the green and the white pieces separated.

Trim and coarsely chop the stems from mushrooms. Set them aside

Slice the shiitake, the portobello, and the cremini into ¼-inch slices.

Melt 2 tablespoons of the butter in a saucepan or Dutch oven over medium heat. Add the leek whites, the potatoes, and the chopped mushroom stems. Stir to coat all with the butter. Cover and reduce the heat to medium low. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are tender, perhaps 20 minutes.

While the vegetables are cooking, place the dried porcini in a medium-size bowl and add 2 cups of hot water. Soak the dried mushrooms until they have softened, about 20 minutes.

Drain the mushrooms soaking liquid through a coffee filter or a sieve lined with a double thickness of cheesecloth. Rinse the mushrooms to remove any grit and coarsely chop them.

Add the mushroom soaking water, 2 cups of hot water, and the chopped dried mushrooms to the vegetables. Bring this all to the boil.

Reduce the heat and simmer, covered, for 10 minutes.

Puree the vegetable and mushroom mixture until it is smooth. Add the remaining 4 cups of water.

Melt the remaining 2 tablespoons of butter in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add the leek greens and the sliced mushrooms. Cook, tossing so the mushrooms cook evenly and begin to release their liquid, about 5 minutes.

Increase the heat to high and cook until the liquid is evaporated, perhaps 5 minutes more.

Add the sherry and boil until it is evaporated.

Transfer the mushroom and leek mixture to the pot of smooth soup.

Heat the soup to simmer and add the salt and pepper to taste.

Cover and simmer slowly for 10 minutes.

Serve the soup, sprinkled with the chopped chives and the croutons.

Note: As with any recipe, make this one your own. Replace one or all of the mushrooms with your own particular favorites. Keep in mind, some mushrooms cook a wee bit faster than others.