Mushroom Soup
Instructions:
- This is the quickest soup to make from scratch and it’s good to serve on special occasions.
- It can be made earlier in the day and then reheated gently before serving. Use a combination of medium-sized closed-cup and large open-cup mushrooms; this gives you the best flavour and colour.
- If you use all open-cup ones, the finished soup is a dark, murky grey, but they have the strongest flavour.
- I like plenty of black pepper in mushroom soup, but this is up to you.
- 250g mushrooms, chopped
- 50g butter
- Approximately 350ml milk, at room temperature
- 1 tablespoon plain flour
- Salt and black pepper to taste
- 4 tablespoons single cream
- Fry the mushrooms gently in half of the butter until just soft.
- Strain the liquor into a measuring jug and make up to 450ml by adding the milk.
- Set aside the cooked mushrooms and melt the rest of the butter on a low heat in a saucepan.
- Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon and gradually add the milk mixture a little at a time. Raise the heat slightly and bring to the boil, stirring constantly.
- Turn down the heat and simmer gently while adding the mushrooms and season to taste.
- Simmer for 2–3 minutes and add the single cream. Serve immediately with some thin slices of raw mushroom on top.