Mushroom Soup

Serves: 4

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Cooking time: 45 minutes

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

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10g dried assorted mushrooms (e.g. porcini, wood, etc.)

1kg assorted mushrooms (shiitake, oyster, chanterelles), reserve 100g to cook for garnish

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

1 onion, finely chopped

1 handful of thyme, leaves picked stalks removed

2L vegetable stock (or chicken)

2 tbsp cream

1 lemon

Fresh parsley, finely chopped

Salt and pepper

4 tbsp olive oil

Method

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1. Rehydrated the dried mushrooms, cover with boiling water and soak. When rehydrated, remove and chop finely. Keep the water to add in later.

2. In a heavy casserole pan, heat to a medium heat and add the olive oil. Add the mushrooms and stir around for a bit. Then add the garlic, onion and thyme. Season. Cook for another 5 minutes or so until the mushrooms have started to reduce in size. Next, add in the dried mushrooms. Keep cooking for another 15 minutes until the mushrooms have completed reduced in size and all moisture has sweated off.

3. Next, add in the stock. Simmer for another 20 minutes until all the flavours have immersed together.

4. Whilst this is simmering, dice up the reserved mushrooms finely and add to a hot frypan with some oil. Fry the mushrooms off with some salt and set aside for serving.

5. After 20 minutes, remove from the heat and blitz the mixture in a blender, or use an immersion blender. Add the soup back to the pan and add in cream and parsley. Season with salt and the lemon juice for a bit of acidity.

6. Serve with the mushrooms that have been fried up, and sprinkle these on top. Garnish with some more parsley and serve with charred bread.

Note: if desired, drizzle the top with truffle oil for an added dimension of flavour.