They say time you enjoy wasting, is not wasted time. I have to agree.
Winter is starting to come around for its yearly visit and I can't say I am much impressed. I truly could of done with another month of summer. I suppose the best I can do in light of my disgruntled view of winter is embrace in my cooking and all that comes with it.
I must admit no one is grumpy at the thought of a piping hot chocolate or soup in front of a fireplace, wrapped in a blanket and playing board games with a loved one.
If the thought of lazy days cuddled under a blanket and a good book appeal to you, then so will this recipe. Nothing as good as the earthiness of mushrooms coupled with the taste explosion that is truffle oil.
Take your time building the flavours of this wholesome soup. Have a glass of wine while staying warm in front of your stovetop and definitely above all else, share it with loved ones.
serves: 4
ingredients:
- 2 brown onions
- olive oil
- 3 tsp crushed garlic
- 5 twigs thyme
- 350g wild mushrooms (variety)
- 3 potatoes
- 1 sweet potato
- 2 vegetable stock concentrate sachets or roast chicken stock sachets
- boiling water to top up
- salt pepper
- 2 Tbsp truffle oil
- 250ml cream
instructions:
To start boil the kettle.
Dice your onions and put them in a pot with your olive oil over a medium heat.
Sweat your onions down and add your garlic. Make sure to stir continuously as you don't want it to burn and give a bitter taste in your soup
Wipe down our mushrooms and chop them into chunky large pieces. Don’t make them too small or else when you cook them they will shrink into nothing.
Add them to your onions and turn up the heat slightly. Keep stirring.
At this stage take your thyme off the twigs and add it to the pot. I enjoy fresh herbs so you can even add extra to taste-depending on what you love.
Peel and dice the potatoes. I dice them small, as I want them to cook into the soup and not remain chunky.
Add the potatoes to the pot.
Add the vegetable stock to the soup. If you want you can use roast chicken stock concentrate depending on if you are serving to vegetarians.
Add your boiling water until you fill the pot to the top. Bring to boil and leave to boil checking every 20 minutes. As it reduces top up again with more boiling water.
Never add cold water to something that is boiling. i repeat for about two hours letting all the flavours develop.
Once you have reached the two-hour mark and the pot is 3/4 full with the mushroom soup add 250ml of cream and your salt and pepper to taste.
Let simmer for a further 20 minutes.
Just before serving fold in the truffle oil. 2 Tbsp. is usually a great starting point but again, do this to your palette, as you taste your soup along the way.
Serve with croutons and while its hot.
-Melissa