Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

• 30g / 2 tbsp unsalted butter
• 1 onion, chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, minced
• 400g / 14 oz white mushrooms (Note 1)
• 200g/ 7 oz Swiss Brown/Cremini mushroom (Note 1)
• 3 1/4 cups vegetable stock (bonus points for homemade veg stock! – Note 2), or chicken stock
• 1/4 tsp salt, cooking/kosher
• 1/8 tsp black pepper
• 3/4 cup crème fraiche or cream (any full-fat) (Note 3)

Garnishes/serving:

• Croutons (Note 4)
• Cream or extra virgin olive oil, for drizzling
• Parsley (roughly chopped), chervil (if you're feeling a bit fancy), or thyme leaves
• Bread for dunking

Steps

1. Make 4 slices from the mushrooms, then dice into 3 or 4 pieces.
2. In a large pot over medium high heat, melt the butter and add the onion and garlic. Let them cook for 3 minutes, until soft without turning golden.
3. Put in the mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. Do not aim to brown them: the crowded pot prevents browning, and color is not needed.
4. Add the vegetable stock, salt and pepper for the 15 min simmer. Bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium and simmer gently for 15 minutes, leaving the lid off.
5. Mix in the cream or crème fraiche and simmer for another 5 minutes.
6. Pour the soup into a blender, in batches if needed. Take the cap out of the blender lid's feeding hole (Note 5) and lay a folded tea towel over the opening. Blend to a completely smooth texture.
7. Put the soup back in the pot and simmer for a minute or two, until most of the blending bubbles have settled and it is hot.
8. Ladle into bowls, drizzle with extra virgin olive oil or cream, and garnish with croutons and either parsley or chervil. Offer bread for dunking.