Curried Mushroom Broth, Mushroom Puree, Fontina

I had a ton of whole cremini mushrooms left over from our last foodie event.  I decided to do with them what I enjoy best during the winter season.  I place them in a large pot and barely cover them with water.  Simmering them slowly for about a half hour yields a clear and intense broth.  Best of all, the strained mushrooms left over from the stock are excellent pureed with butter, salt, pepper and an herb of choice. On this particular night, I add some curry to the broth, as well a nob of butter. I had a creamy fontina lying around, which I added to the top of the mushroom puree.  Upon eating, the cheese falls into the soup and melts, creating a simple yet satisfying counterpoint to what I consider an excellent and homey winter treat.  In retrospect, I would have reserved a few of the raw mushrooms and served them here sliced and sauteed, creating three different preparations of the crimini.

Note: The mushroom broth was something I picked up from Charlie Trotter's PBS show The Kitchen Sessions. Ahhh, PBS.