Mixed Mushroom Soup

Serves	6
Inspiration	Jamie Oliver

Ingredients

1 Small handful dried porcini mushroonms
2 Tbsp olive oil
1 1/4 Lb or 600 g mixed fresh mushrooms, sliced (shiitake, oyster, cremini, white)
2 Cloves garlic (grated)
1 Large onion (chopped fine)
2 Tbsp fresh thyme leaves (or 2 tsp dried thyme)
1 Tsp salt
freshly ground pepper
4 Cups (1 litre) unsalted chicken broth
1 Tbsp chopped fresh parsley
1 Tbsp mascarpone cheese


Place the porcini in a small dish, add boiling water just to cover, and leave to soak.

Heat a large saucepan over high heat and add the olive oil and the fresh mushrooms. Stir fry for about a minute and then add the garlic, onion and thyme. Continue to stir fry and you will notice the moisture start to cook out of the mushrooms.

In the meantime, strain the soaking liquid of the porcini through cheesecloth or a coffee filter, to remove any grit. Add this liquid and half of the porcini left whole and the other half chopped up. Continue to cook for about 20 minutes or until most of the moisture disappears.

Add the chicken stock, half the salt and the freshly ground pepper. Bring to a boil and simmer for about 20 minutes. Remove half of the soup from the pot and puree it in a blender along with the tablespoon of mascarpone. Pour it back in, adding the parsley. Adjust the seasoning to taste. A nice finishing touch is to grate the zest of a lemon into the middle of the soup and then stir it in.