Wild Mushroom Soup

Ingredients (serves 4-6)

400 g fresh mushrooms, thickly sliced
2 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon butter
2 leeks, thinly sliced
2 shallots, roughly chopped
1 garlic clove, roughly chopped
around 1,5 litres (6 cups) beef of mushroom stock
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
150ml (2/3 cup) double cream
salt and freshly ground back pepper
fresh thyme springs for garnish

Method

Heat the olive oil and butter in a large saucepan. Add the sliced leeks, chopped shallots and garlic and cook gently for about 5 minutes, stirring frequently, until softened but not coloured.

Slice fresh mushrooms and add to the pan. Stir over a medium heat for about 5 minutes until they begin to soften. Pour in the stock and bring to the boil. In case of using dried mushrooms, add the sliced presoaked mushrooms, soaking liquid, dried thyme, salt and pepper. Half cover the pan, simmer gently for 30 minutes over a low heat stirring occasionally.

Pour about tree-quarters of the soup into a blender or food processor and process until smooth. Return to the soup remaining in the pan, stir in the cream and heat until boiling. Check the consistency and add more stock if the soup is too thick.

Taste for seasoning. Serve hot, garnish with fresh thyme springs.