I have in the past been guilty of disparaging soup as little more than “bread dip”. This is probably fair to say of many of the salty yet bland offerings you may get from a tin or tub. However, making simple fresh soups from flavoursome ingredients can result in silky smooth and satisfying dishes.
While they are still best served with a hunk of crusty bread, they are no longer relegated to mere “dip” and are a delicious dish themselves. A favourite to make due to its speed, convenience and flavor is this hearty mushroom soup. This is meant to be a quick and easy recipe so just rough chop (by hand or food processor) and chuck what you’ve got in a pot then let a blender do the work for you at the end. If you’ve no blending ability, just chop the ingredients as finely as you can and enjoy it a little more on the chunky side.
Recipe
Serves 2. Active time 10 mins. Cook time 15 mins.
Ingredients
1 small onion or shallot, roughly chopped
1 clove of garlic, minced
A few big handfuls of fresh mushrooms, roughly chopped or torn apart (approx. 300g)
A small handful of dried mushrooms, broken up (approx. 10g – optional)
1 tbsp plain flour
A few sprigs of fresh thyme or a few pinches of dried thyme
Extra Virgin Olive Oil or Cold Pressed Rapeseed Oil
Water
100ml milk or 50ml double cream if you’re feeling luxurious
Salt and pepper, white pepper works well here
Method
In pot over medium-high heat add a couple glugs of oil and add the onion, garlic and fresh mushroom. Cook for five minutes or so until slightly browned. Sprinkle with a pinch or two of salt and pepper.
Reduce the heat to low and add the flour, mixing well, then add the herbs, dried mushrooms, water and milk/cream. The liquid should be enough to cover the mushrooms, though they’ll probably float. Simmer for 15 mins.
If blending do so now using an immersion blender or food processor. Careful, it will be hot so try not to burn yourself. I like it blended to a smooth texture but you may prefer it a little chunkier. I usually remove the thyme stalks before doing this.
Taste the soup and adjust seasoning if needed. Serve into bowls with a hunk of bread and a drizzle of oil if you want to be fancy.
A bit of a blether
As ever, make do with what you have and feel free to experiment. I love the combination of thyme and mushroom but other herbs work equally well. Dried mushrooms are flavour bombs and you should always keep a stash in the larder. They really take this dish to the next level. You can also add a few dried spices like powdered ginger and grated nutmeg for a more warming kick.
This makes a great lunchtime dish given how quickly it comes together, though would work well with a smaller portion as a starter too. You can easily double or triple the recipe if you want to make more.
Thanks for reading,
Matthew
A Sincere Love of Food 