Spinach Mushroom Soup

Made this for a men's retreat this fall as a part of a "monastic menu". It went over well. Easy to make with nice light flavors.

• Ready In: 1 hr
• Serves: 8

Ingredients

• 3  tablespoons butter
• 2  onions, diced
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 2  lbs white mushrooms, roughly chopped (I din't have enough fresh mushrooms and so added a handful of reconstituted shitaki's- worked well)
• 2  teaspoons savory (I was out and so used all oregano- still good)
• 1⁄4 teaspoon oregano
• 1⁄3 cup white wine (original recipe called for sherry)
• 9  cups  chicken stock
• 2  tablespoons tomato paste
• 1  bay leaf
•  salt and pepper
• 10  leaves fresh spinach (I "eyeballed" the amount- I'm sure it was more)

Directions

1. Melt butter and saute onion and garlic until onion is clear.
2. Add wine and deglaze pot, scrapping up the fond (brown residue left on bottom of the pot from the onions and garlic). Reduce by half.
3. Add mushrooms, savory, oregano, stock, tomato paste and bay leaf. Bring to a gentle boil then reduce heat and simmer 30 minutes.
4. Stir in spinch till wilted. Add salt and pepper to taste. Serve garnished with parmesan cheese.