Creamy mushroom soup with garlic toast
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
2 tbsp olive oil1 onion, roughly chopped
2 celery stalks, chopped
2 sprigs thyme
500g mixed mushrooms, such as flat mushrooms, chestnut mushrooms or portabella mushrooms, chopped
1.2 litres vegetable stock, hot
2 tbsp dried porcini mushrooms
1 half ciabatta loaf, cut into 8 slices
1 large garlic clove, halved
1 tbsp finely chopped parsley
100ml single cream
method:
- Heat one tablespoon of the oil in a large saucepan and cook the onion, celery and thyme for five minutes until softened. Add the fresh mushrooms, cook for two minutes, then stir in the stock and dried mushrooms. Cover and simmer gently for 20 minutes.
- Meanwhile, preheat a ridged griddle pan and cook the slices of bread for 1-2 minutes each side until bar-marked. Rub the toast with the cut surface of the garlic, drizzle with oil and sprinkle with parsley.
- Remove the soup from the heat, discard the thyme stalks, then using a stick blender, whiz until smooth. Divide among serving bowls, drizzle with the cream and serve with the garlic toasts on the side.
