Cream of mushroom soup

This is a lovely soup – so simple to make but so rewarding. If at home you might add half a cup of white wine to the pan and reduce by half before you add the mushrooms, but we like it too just like this…

Fresh from the garden: onion, garlic, leek, thyme, mushrooms, parsley
Recipe source: adapted from a recipe by Neil Perry of Rockpool
Serves: 8 or 30 tastes

What to do:

• Fill the kettle and set it to boil.
• Peel and finely chop the onion and garlic.
• Trim the leek and remove the first layer. Carefully slice along the leek, halfway in and then rinse thoroughly under running water taking care to remove all the grit and dirt. Finely chop.
• Wash and shake the thyme dry and strip leaves from the stalks.
• Heat the oil and butter in the large pot over a medium heat. Add the onion, leek, garlic, thyme and a pinch of salt and cook, stirring, for about 10 minutes or until soft.
• Meanwhile wipe the dirt from the mushrooms with a piece of paper towel, trim any ugly bits and then thinly slice the mushrooms.
• Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan and continue to cook for about 5 minutes or until tender.
• Add the bouillon to the boiling water, stir and then add to the pot. Cook, uncovered, for about 30 minutes or until reduced by half. Remove from the heat.
• Meanwhile wash the parsley and spin it dry. Pick the leaves and then finely chop. Using the stick blender, puree the soup until smooth.
• To serve, stir in the cream and parsley and check seasoning.
• Ladle in to bowls and serve.

Notes: Why don’t we wash mushrooms? Describe in your own words how to clean a leek. What is bouillon? How many different sorts of mushrooms can you name?