This soup has a strong mushroom flavour with a delicious smooth texture to it. I have cooked the mushrooms first to remove any excess liquid which concentrates the flavour. It is also served with a garnish of pickled mushrooms – try it, it nicer than you think!
I have used chestnut mushrooms which are similar to Oyster mushrooms but taste much more like a mild Shiitake with a distinct “nutty” taste. Chestnuts are quite satisfying while chewing, they retain a little bit of snap to the them even after cooking.
Preparation Time: 20 minutes
Cooking Time: 25 minutes
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
10g porcini dried mushrooms
2 tablespoons olive oil
500g chestnut mushrooms – sliced
1 white onion – peeled and roughly chopped
3 cloves garlic – peeled and roughly chopped
3 tablespoons fresh thyme – leaves only
600ml vegetable/ mushroom stock (Use 1 cube or one heaped tablespoon stock powder to 600ml boiling water)
100ml Gefen Oat creamer/ non dairy milk
For the Pickled Mushrooms
75ml white wine vinegar
100g caster sugar
200g mushrooms – use a mix of exotic/ wild mushrooms – sliced
Garnish: Sprigs of fresh thyme
Method
For the pickled mushrooms, heat the white wine vinegar and caster sugar in a small saucepan with a pinch of salt until the sugar dissolves.
Remove from the heat and add 50ml water. Cool to room temperature and then add the mushroom mix. Leave to pickle while you make the soup.
Put the dried porcini mushrooms in a bowl and cover with boiling water.
Heat the olive oil, add the chestnut mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes or until all the water has evaporated from them and the mushrooms are golden brown.
Reduce the heat, add the onions, garlic, thyme leaves, dried porcini mushrooms with liquid, stock. Cover and simmer for 15 minutes.
Season with salt and freshly ground black pepper.
Liquidise in a blender or food processor until smooth. Return to the saucepan and add the oat cream or non dairy milk/cream.
Drain the pickled mushrooms and garnish on top with sprigs of fresh thyme.
