It’s been called America’s bechamel sauce. It’s been called a gift to the busy housewife (and how sexist is that?) It’s found in recipes from beef stroganoff to green bean casserole to scalloped potatoes. I just call it “blech.”
It’s condensed cream of mushroom soup, and you can do so, so much better.
A half-cup of this stuff contains enough salt to melt a glacier. Other than that time when I was really hungry as a teen-ager, I’ve never known anybody to actually eat a bowl of it. Yet it’s endemic to American culinary history, thanks to Campbell’s Soup Co. and its process of condensing soups — developed in 1897 — and cream of mushroom soup in particular — introduced in 1934.
People talk about the harbingers of the decline of Western Civilization: television, the Beatles, X (the social media sinkhole formerly known as Twitter) and movies based on a universe of superheroes.
But for me, it’s condensed cream of mushroom soup. It’s a lazy way to making one of cuisine’s core sauces to thicken casseroles or spoon over fish (or chicken, beef, broccoli or pasta).
In fairness, that Houston food blogger wasn’t far wrong when he called it America’s bechamel. Bechamel is essentially a white sauce: a roux made from butter and flour, then thinned with half-and-half or milk. If you can make a roux, you can make this. This just substitutes a bit of stock for some of the dairy.
So do yourself a favor. Make your own. It’s easy, tastier and healthier. And you can add all the flavor you want.
And if you want to break new ground, you can actually add some sauteed mushrooms and make it an actual cream of mushroom soup.
CONDENSED CREAM OF MUSHROOM SOUP SUBSTITUTE
3 Tbs. butter
3 Tbs. flour
1/2 cup chicken or beef stock
1/2 cup half-and-half or whole milk
A pinch of freshly ground nutmeg
Salt, pepper and spices as desired
Melt butter in a small saucepan over low heat. Add flour and whisk until you make a thick paste. Gradually add liquids while whisking. Heat until thickened. Flavor with salt, pepper and other spices as desired.
Play with it: Make this an actual soup by adding more liquid, sautéed mushrooms, celery, cut up chicken or any number of vegetables. Think of the flavor profile and add, to your liking: rosemary, thyme, sage, or bay leaf (let it simmer a while).
