Mushroom soup

This is a gorgeous creamy soup with a bold mushroom flavour suitable for vegetarians and for freezing for a winter's day when you can't be bothered to go to the shops

Preparation time: 25 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Serves: 4
Suitable for vegetarians
Suitable for freezing

Calories per portion: 118 Kcal
Fat per portion 8.5g of which saturated 4.2g

What you need:

• Butter 25g (loz)
• Onion 1 large, peeled and finely chopped
• Dried porcini mushrooms 15g (½oz), soaked in 225ml (8fl oz) boiling water
• Large, flat, brown-skinned mushrooms 400g (14oz), wiped and roughly chopped
• Vegetable stock 600ml (1 pint)
• Milk 500ml (18fl oz)
• Lemon 1, juice only
• Single cream
• Toasted pine nuts
• Snipped chives
• Melt the butter in a saucepan, add the onion and cook over a moderate heat until softened but not browned.

What you do:

1. Strain the liquid from the porcini and add the drained porcini with the fresh mushrooms to the saucepan.
   
2. Stir in the stock and milk and bring just to the boil.
   
3. Reduce the heat, cover and cook for 30 minutes.
4. Allow the soup to cool slightly and purée in a blender or food processor.
   
5. Season well, and add lemon juice to taste.
   
6. Serve with a swirl of cream and toasted pine nuts and chives.

Cook's tip

Dried porcini add a rich depth to this soup, they also taste good made into risotto for a store cupboard supper topped with a little crispy bacon or grated cheese.

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