Mushroom soup

Ingredients

• 300g mushrooms
• 20g porcini dried mushrooms
• 1 onion
• 1 clove of garlic (optional)
• 1 1/4 litre of stock (chicken or vegetable)
• Salt & pepper to taste

Chop up the onion and sauté in a little butter and oil with a sprinkling of salt (supposed to stop it browning) add a crushed clove of garlic if you want.

Chop up the mushrooms roughly after wiping off the wee black bits and add to the onions in the pot and sauté for a while longer.

Add stock to taste either veg or chicken about a pint and a half depending on how many mushrooms.

Soak a small handful of dried porcini mushrooms in boiling water in a mug until cool enough to handle then chop these small reserving soaking liquid.

Add chopped mushrooms and soaking liquid to main mushroom mix. Be careful when pouring in the soaking liquid as the last bottom inch will have grit in it so discard the last inch or so.

Add some thyme ( I use a sprig from the garden) Simmer for about 30 to 40 minutes. Remove sprig of thyme and blend soup. I like mine a bit chunky. Add some salt and pepper milk to taste. Serve with a small swirl of cream if you want.