RACHEL LETT
Autumn is here, and mushroom are plentiful. Make the most of the season and whizz them into a soothing soup for lunch or dinner. This mushroom soup is deep and earthy. The walnut and thyme butter, with a squeeze of lemon lifts the soup into an elegant lunch or dinner affair.
Mushroom soup with a walnut and thyme butter
SERVES 6
Ingredients
In a medium pot, heat a glug of oil over a low heat. Add the onions and sauté, covered for about 10 minutes, until softened.
While the onions cook, fry the mushrooms. In a large frying pan, over a medium to high heat, fry the mushrooms with a glug of oil and knob of butter. Avoid overcrowding the pan, so you may need to do this in batches. Allow them to brown and charr, and transfer to the onion pot.
Add the garlic and thyme to the onions, season with salt and pepper and cook for a few minutes over a medium heat.
Add chicken stock, and boil for 15 minutes.
Take the soup off the heat, add the cream, and blend till silky smooth. Season to taste.
For the walnut butter, gently heat the butter, thyme, walnuts and chilli in a frying pan until the walnuts are toasted and it smells fragrant—don’t be tempted to rush this by turning up the heat as the butter will burn.
Serve the soup in bowls with a drizzle of walnut and thyme butter, and a squeeze of lemon.