20g/¾oz dried wild or porcini mushrooms
10g/⅓oz butter
2 shallots or 1 leek, finely chopped
1 garlic clove, sliced
500g/1lb 2oz fresh mushrooms, a mixture of Portobello,
chestnut, button and wild mushrooms, in any combination
you like
700ml/1¼ pint chicken or vegetable stock
1 large sprig thyme
25ml/1fl oz sherry or marsala or juice of ½ lemon
salt and freshly ground black pepper
2 tbsp finely chopped fresh parsley, to serve
Measure 150ml/5fl oz just-boiled water and pour it over the dried
mushrooms in a bowl. Leave to soak for 10 minutes.
Heat the butter in a heavy-based saucepan. Finely chop the
shallots or leek, and add to the saucepan. Cover and leave to cook
on a low heat for 5 minutes.
Add the garlic and fresh mushrooms to the pan. Turn up the heat and cook for a couple of minutes until the mushrooms are glossy.
Strain off the soaking mushrooms, reserving the liquor. Finely chop the soaked mushrooms and add to the pan. Pour in the reserved liquor and the stock, then add the thyme. Season with
salt and pepper.
Bring to the boil, then simmer for 5 minutes. Add the sherry, marsala or lemon juice. Remove the sprig of thyme, then cool slightly and carefully blend the soup using a hand-blender. It
should be a lovely rich brown colour. Serve immediately topped with a sprinkle of chopped parsley.
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