No-Cream Cream of Mushroom Soup

Source

25oz – 700g button mushrooms
1½ oz – 40g – dried Porcini or Shiitake mushrooms
1 large potato
1 leek
1 yellow onion
3 garlic cloves
6 sprigs of thyme (or half tsp dried)
1 qt – litre vegetable stock
3 oz – 80g Butter
Small bunch of fresh flat parsley
2 tbsp olive oil
Salt and Pepper
3 cups water
Step 1
To make things easier, first slice all your vegetables thinly. The peeled brown onion, the washed leek, the peeled potato.
Step 2
To a large soup pot add the butter and melt over medium heat. Once the butter has melted, add the onion and leek first. Sweat two minutes then add the potato, thyme and garlic. Add the vegetable stock and bring to a gentle simmer
Step 3
Slice the mushrooms and add to a frying pan on high heat with the olive oil. Cook 3 minutes while stirring or tossing. Add half to the soup, keep the other half aside for later. Add the dried mushrooms, the three cups of water and simmer for 20 minutes.
Step 4
Season to taste with salt and pepper then transfer to a high speed blender and blitz a portion at a time until creamy smooth.
Step 5
Return the soup to a saucepan or the same pot and place over low heat. Add the remaining mushrooms and turn off the heat once it simmers.
Step 6
Chop the parsley and garnish on top.
**Notes:** Wash your leeks before adding them to make sure they’re not sandy!
Use oil or vegan butter and vegetable broth to make this **vegan**!
You might notice he uses **olive oil**–you’re best off using **light** or **virgin** olive oil rather than **extra virgin**, because extra virgin is the type with a lower smoke point. Don’t fear using virgin or light olive oil on medium-high heat–both kinds actually have fairly high smoke points and are great cooking oils! It’s just the extra virgin you should keep away from high heat–I prefer to use it as a finishing oil or for salads.
Consider finishing with a little **sherry or brandy**. It tastes amazing with the mushrooms.
In addition to potato, another great thickener for mushroom soup is a few **walnuts**, cooked in the broth and pureed with the rest of the ingredients.
**Source:** [Recipe 30]( http://www.recipe30.com/cream-of-mushroom-soup.html/)