SNOW DAY Creamy WILD Mushroom Soup

Between The Beast From the East & Storm Emma we have had some pretty crazy weather! But the temperature is on the up again, thank goodness. I am not built for all this cold weather. What got me through the cold spell was this warm and hearty Wild Mushroom Soup. So easy and simple to make and best served with warm crusty bread. It makes quite a large batch so great for entertaining or lunch the next day. Please excuse the massive blobs of butter on the bread, I do love butter...

Ingredients

• 400g wild mushrooms sliced (I used Sainsbury's British Speciality Mushrooms, Taste the Difference 200g)
• 200g closed cap mushrooms sliced (specialty mushrooms can get pricey so I bulk it out with these)
• 2 shallots chopped
• 2 sticks of celery chopped
• 3 cloves of garlic crushed
• 3 sprigs of fresh flat-leaf parsley - stalks chopped, leaves picked and chopped
• 3 sprigs of fresh thyme - leaves picked
• 1.5 litres chicken or vegetable stock (I used my homemade stock but any stock will work)
• 75 ml double cream
• 1 loaf of crusty bread (any type, preferably your favourite)
• extra virgin olive oil
• Knob of butter (salted or unsalted)

Method

1. Brush the mushrooms clean before slicing.
2. Heat a splash of olive oil and the knob of butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat.
3. Add the onion, celery, garlic, parsley stalks, thyme leaves and mushrooms, put the lid on and cook gently until softened. This may take awhile for all the mushrooms to soften.
4. Spoon out 2 tablespoons of mushrooms, and keep for later as garnish.
5. Pour the stock into the pan and bring to the boil over a medium heat, turn the heat down to low and simmer for 20 minutes, reducing the liquid slightly to concentrate the flavour.
6. Season to taste with sea salt and black pepper, then whiz with a stick blender or a Nutribullet or a food processor in small batches until smooth. If using a Nutribullet or food processor be careful as the liquid will be very hot.
7. Pour in the cream, bring just back to the boil, then turn off the heat.
8. Toast the bread on a hot griddle pan or under the grill and drizzle with extra virgin olive oil.
9. Spoon the soup into bowls, garnish with the chopped parsley and remaining mushrooms, and serve with the bread on the side.

This recipe has been adapted from the Jamie Oliver Website Creamy Mushroom Soup

I hope you enjoy as much as we did!

We would love to know your keep warm recipes from this last week!

All my Love,

Stephie x

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