Prep (15 minutes):

1. Clean the mushrooms: Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp cloth or brush off any dirt. Slice them into thin pieces.

2. Mince the garlic: Finely chop the garlic cloves. You can use a knife or a garlic press for this.

3. Chop the onion: Finely chop the onion.

Cooking (30 minutes):

1. Sauté the vegetables: In a large pot or Dutch oven, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the chopped onion and cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent.

2. Add the mushrooms: Increase the heat to medium-high and add the sliced mushrooms. Cook for 5-7 minutes, stirring often, until the mushrooms soften and release their juices.

3. Deglaze the pan (optional): If desired, you can add a splash of white wine or dry sherry to the pan at this point. Scrape up any browned bits from the bottom of the pot to incorporate the flavor. Let the wine or sherry cook for a minute before continuing.

4. Add broth and seasonings: Pour in the chicken or vegetable broth, bay leaves, minced garlic, Himalayan pink salt, black pepper, and ground cumin. Stir to combine.

5. Simmer the soup: Bring the soup to a boil, then reduce heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes. The mushrooms should be fully tender and the flavors will develop.

6. Remove bay leaves: Carefully remove the bay leaves from the soup. You can discard them.

7. Blend the soup: Using an immersion blender or a regular blender, carefully blend the soup until smooth and creamy. Be careful when using a regular blender, start by blending in batches and hold the lid down with a kitchen towel to avoid hot soup splatters.

8. Stir in cream and heat: Return the blended soup to the pot and stir in the heavy cream. Heat the soup over low heat for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until warmed through. Do not let the soup boil again after adding the cream.

9. Serve: Taste the soup and adjust seasonings as needed. Serve hot in bowls, garnished with a sprinkle of fresh parsley (optional).

Tips:

• For a richer flavor, you can use a combination of chicken and vegetable broth.

• If you don't have heavy cream, you can substitute with milk or half-and-half, but the soup will be slightly thinner.

• For a vegan option, use vegetable broth and vegan cream (cashew cream or coconut cream work well).

• For a more rustic soup, you can skip blending it and leave it with some mushroom chunks.

• Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.

Enjoy this delicious and creamy homemade mushroom soup!