How To Make Mushroom Soup

SERVES 4. This is the quickest soup to make from scratch and it’s good to serve on special occasions. It can be made earlier in the day and then reheated gently before serving. Use a combination of medium-sized closed-cup and large open-cup mushrooms; this gives you the best flavour and colour. If you use all open-cup ones, the finished soup is a dark, murky grey, but they have the strongest flavour. I like plenty of black pepper in mushroom soup, but this is up to you.

1. Step 1:

   Fry the mushrooms gently in half of the butter until just soft.

2. Step 2:

   Strain the liquor into a measuring jug and make up to 450ml by adding the milk.

3. Step 3:

   Set aside the cooked mushrooms and melt the rest of the butter on a low heat in a saucepan.

4. Step 4:

   Stir in the flour with a wooden spoon and gradually add the milk mixture a little at a time. Raise the heat slightly and bring to the boil, stirring constantly.

5. Step 5:

   Turn down the heat and simmer gently while adding the mushrooms and season to taste.

6. Step 6:

   Simmer for 2–3 minutes and add the single cream. Serve immediately with some thin slices of raw mushroom on top.