Wild-ish Mushroom Soup

This recipe is adapted from a recipe in the Cook's Encyclopedia of Vegetarian Cooking. I alter it in an attempt to reduce the overall calories and also to reflect my town's lack of fresh store bought wild mushrooms. I had to go to three stores to find the dried porcini mushrooms, but fresh wild mushrooms just were not happening. It turned out any way and that is how it got its new name, Wild-ish Mushroom Soup.

1 ounce dried porcini mushrooms
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 leeks (white parts) thinly sliced
2 shallots, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, minced
8 ounces brown mushrooms (or if you live outside of Livermore, CA wild mushrooms), chopped roughly
5 cups vegetable broth
1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme
1 tablespoon all purpose flour
2/3 cup 1% milk
salt and pepper to taste

1. Put the dried porcini's in a bowl and add 1 cup warm water. Allow to stand for 20-30 minutes. With your hand remove the mushroom from the bowl and gently squeeze out the excess water over the bowl. Set the mushrooms aside. Strain the remaining liquid, and reserve for later use. Finely chop the porcini mushrooms.
2. Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium heat, add the leeks, shallots and garlic. Cook gently for about 5 minutes or until softened.
3. Add the brown mushrooms and stir over medium heat until they begin to soften. Pour in the stock, and bring to a boil. Add the porcini, soaking liquid, and dried thyme. Lower the heat, half over the pan and simmer gently for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.
4. Pour about 3/4 of the soup into a blender and blend until smooth. Return the smooth soup to the saucepan. In a small bowl or mixing cup, whisk together the milk and flour. Bring the soup back to a gentle simmer and slowly add in the milk mixture. Salt and pepper to taste. Serve warm.

Serves 4 servings: Calories 182, Fat grams 4 and Fiber grams 2