Creamy mushroom soup

If you have had a long, hard week and are craving something that is both absolutely delicious and equally comforting, give this creamy mushroom soup a try! With just a few super-easy ingredients, even the most novice of chefs will be able to whip this up with no problems at all.

While the flavour is definitely tasty enough to stand on its own, don’t forget to top it off with some crusty bread, a good drizzle of olive oil and just the right amount of cracked pepper as the finishing touches. Enjoy!

Ingredients

• 25g dried porcini
• 50g butter
• 1 onion, finely chopped
• 1 garlic clove, sliced
• thyme sprigs
• 400g mixed wild mushrooms
• 850ml vegetable stock
• 200ml tub sour cream
• 4 slices white bread, about 100g, cubed
• chives and truffle oil, to serve

Method

1. Bring kettle to the boil. Pour water over dried porcini just to cover. Heat half butter in saucepan. Gently sizzle onion, garlic and thyme for 5 mins until softened and starting to brown. Drain porcini, reserving juice. Add to onion with mixed wild mushrooms. Leave to cook for 5 mins until they go limp.
2. Pour over stock and reserved juices, bring to the boil. Simmer for 20 mins. Stir in sour cream. Simmer for a few mins more. Blitz soup with hand blender or liquidiser, pass through a fine sieve, then set aside.
3. Heat remaining butter in frying pan, fry bread cubes until golden. Drain on kitchen paper. To serve, heat soup. Froth up with hand blender, if you like. Ladle soup into bowls, scatter over the croutons and chives and drizzle with truffle oil. Serve.