Inspired by some very pretty looking mushrooms at my local farmers market, I thought I would make a nice and easy mushroom soup. I love quick & delicious dishes as they really make a big difference to a busy day, especially in the run-up to Christmas. Soups can be cooked in advance, freeze well, and work well with side salads. You can also 'pimp them up' with a variety of toppings, think roasted chestnuts, sead mixes, caramlised onions, stir-fried mushrooms, sauerkraut or roasted vegetables.
And of course no mushroom soup without a few twigs of thyme. They add a rich flavour and provide a small serving of antioxidants, vitamin C and antimicrobial oils. Thyme is the perfect addition not only to soups but also to fresh salads and salad dressings. I love bringing the garden into the kitchen and usually have a selection of little pots on my window sill. Potted herbs are brilliant, the only thing to remember is to water them and they will happily supply you with delicious and nutritious flavours all year round.
Crimini mushrooms are the brown variety of the button mushrooms and are cultivated throughout the year. A good source of folate, choline, protein, vitamin B1,2,3 and B6, these mushrooms also supply us with of a number of minerals including selenium, copper, phosphorus, zinc, potassium and manganese. All good to keep our body’s stores well stocked and help carry us through the winter.
When selecting the mushrooms, look for plump, firm and clean ones and avoid dry or ugly looking ones. Fresh mushrooms are best to be used on the day you buy them or they can be stored in a loosely closed paper bag in the fridge, where they keep for a few days. Prepacked mushrooms keep for around a week.
What I love about this soup is that it takes next to no time to make, only around 10 minutes to prepare the ingredients and 10-12 minutes cooking time. All you need is fresh mushrooms, onions, thyme, vegetable stock, ghee or butter, salt & pepper and a squeeze of lemon juice to taste- done. I like a really deep and rich mushroom flavour, so I like to add some dried mushroom and a touch of miso as well, some Parmesan shavings, finely chopped fresh flat leaf parsley or thyme. Served with freshly baked sourdough bread make this soup a very special main or starter! And here is what you need.
Crimini button mushroom soup– Serves 3-4
400 g crimini mushrooms – sliced
1 medium-sized onion or a couple of shallots – sliced
2-4 tbsp of olive oil
25 g of ghee ( or butter)
1 tsp of dark miso paste
2 springs of fresh thyme
750 ml of vegetable or chicken stock
Fresh flat-leaf parsley ( optional -another one for the window sill)
1 hand full of dried mushrooms -soaked in the hot vegetable stock
Fresh lemon juice to taste
Pepper, sea salt, (Parmesan to garnish – optional)
Method:
Peel and slice the onion and set aside. Prepare the stock in a jug or separate pan and add a hand full of dried mushrooms to enhance the flavour of the stock.
Clean the mushrooms with a soft brush or kitchen towel. Cut off the dry end of the stem, cut in quarters, and set aside. Tip: you can also just crush the mushrooms with your fingers, which is a lot faster.
For the soup, heat the olive oil and sweat the onions for 4-5 minutes over medium heat, until they start to brown slightly. Add thyme and mushrooms and cook for another 3-4 minutes, before adding the stock. Leave to simmer for about 10-12 minutes.
Set pot aside and leave to cool down for 5 minutes, take out the thyme twigs, blend until smooth, and finish with a tbsp of ghee or butter. As for what to use for blending the soup, I usually use a handheld blender as it is very quick to clean, but the most smooth results you will get in using a food processor or blender. Once blended well, season a squeeze of lemon juice, salt and pepper to taste.
Serving options: just on its own or topped with a tbsp of sauteed mushrooms, freshly chopped flat parsley, some Parmesan shavings, finely chopped roasted chestnuts when in season, serve with freshly baked sourdough or multi-seed bread.
Bon Appétit !! x
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