EASY MUSHROOM SOUP
EASY MUSHROOM SOUP
EASY MUSHROOM SOUP

Ingredients
  • 20g/¾oz dried wild or porcini mushrooms
  • 10g/â…“oz butter
  • 2 shallots or 1 leek
  • finely chopped
  • 1 garlic clove
  • sliced
  • 500g/1lb 2oz fresh mushrooms
  • a mixture of Portobello
  • chestnut
  • button and wild mushrooms
  • in any combination you like
  • 700ml/1¼ pint chicken or vegetable stock
  • 1 large sprig thyme
  • 25ml/1fl oz sherry or marsala or juice of ½ lemon
  • salt and freshly ground black pepper
  • 2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley
  • to serve
Directions
  • Measure 150ml/5fl oz just-boiled water and pour it over the dried mushrooms in a bowl. Leave to soak for 10 minutes.
  • Heat the butter in a heavy-based saucepan. Finely chop the shallots or leek
  • and add to the saucepan. Cover and leave to cook on a low heat for 5 minutes.
  • Add the garlic and fresh mushrooms to the pan. Turn up the heat and cook for a couple of minutes until the mushrooms are glossy.
  • Strain off the soaking mushrooms
  • reserving the liquor. Finely chop the soaked mushrooms and add to the pan. Pour in the reserved liquor and the stock
  • then add the thyme. Season with salt and pepper.
  • Bring to the boil
  • then simmer for 5 minutes. Add the sherry
  • marsala or lemon juice. Remove the sprig of thyme
  • then cool slightly and carefully blend the soup using a hand-blender. It should be a lovely rich brown colour. Serve immediately topped with a sprinkle of chopped parsley.