250gfresh or frozen chestnut mushrooms, OR wild mushrooms, porcini etc
1onion
1clovegarlic
1kgwashed and peeled potatoes
1.5lvegetable stock
4tablespoonolive oil
1teaspoondried thyme or 3 sprigs fresh thyme (leaves only)
black pepper, to taste
1cupdouble light cream, or vegan plant-based cream alternative
fresh or dried parsley, for serving
Instructions
Wash and slice the mushrooms, and finely chop the onion and garlic.
Cut the potatoes into small dices. Boil them in the vegetable stock until soft (the smaller, the quicker they will cook).
Add the olive oil to a large frying pan and turn on medium-high heat. When hot enough, add the onion and garlic and fry until soft and glossy.
Add the sliced mushrooms to the pan, season with thyme and black pepper, stir and leave to set. The mushrooms will get a crispier texture if you don’t shake them during cooking.
When the potatoes are cooked, take the stockpot from the hob and place on heatproof surface. Do not drain them.
Prepare your stick blender and blend the potatoes in the vegetable stock until completely smooth. The soup will get creamy and thick.
Place the soup back on the hob, turn on medium-high heat, add the cream and stir. Leave to cook for about 5 mins. If it gets too thick, add a little bit of boiling water.
Add the mushrooms, onion and garlic mixture to the soup, stir well, garnish with parsley and serve. Enjoy!
Notes
Technical note: In this recipe, I used Elmlea Double Light, which I like for its long life in the fridge. They also do plant-based alternatives, so you can make this recipe vegan if you prefer.