Mushroom soup made from wild mushrooms has the most extraordinary, intense flavour. I find they actually make the best soup when they are a few days old and have darkened a bit, so snatch up any that are just past their best in the supermarket. If you want a gluten-free soup, omit the bread and reduce the stock. Serves 6
- 25g (1oz) dried cep mushrooms
- 50g (2oz) butter
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 450g (1lb) wild mushrooms (such as
- chantarelle, shiitake and oyster), sliced
- 1.2 litres (2 pints) vegetable or chicken
- stock
- 75g (3oz) sourdough bread, crusts
- removed
- 150ml (¼ pint) cream, extra to garnish
- 1 tsp snipped fresh chives
- Parmesan croutons:
- 175g (6oz) sourdough bread
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 25g (1oz) freshly grated Parmesan
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F/gas mark 4).
To make the croutons, cut the crusts off the bread and cut the bread into small cubes. Place in a bowl with the garlic, Parmesan and oil. Season to taste and mix well to combine.
Tip out onto a baking dish and cook for 10–12 minutes, tossing once or twice to ensure the croutons cook evenly, until golden brown and crunchy. Set aside until needed. To make the soup, soak the dried ceps in 150ml (¼ pint) of boiling water for 15 minutes. Drain and reserve the soaking liquid.
Finely chop the reconstituted mushrooms and set aside. Melt half of the butter in a large pan over a medium heat and gently cook the onion and garlic for 10 minutes, until softened but not coloured. Increase the heat, add the wild mushrooms and stir-fry for 3–4 minutes, until just tender. Pour in the stock and reserved mushroom soaking liquid and add the reconstituted ceps.
Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and the liquid has slightly reduced. Crumble the bread into the soup, then purée in batches in a food processor or with a hand-held blender. Pour the soup back into the pan, season to taste and add the cream. Reheat gently but do not let it boil.
To serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls and garnish each one with a drizzle of cream, the chives and the Parmesan croutons.
If you have heatproof serving bowls, fill them with the piping hot soup and float the cheese croûtes on top and then grill until the cheese is bubbling and melted. I've used Gruyère cheese, which is traditional, but really any Irish cheese would work well, even Cheddar, or use a mixture of both. Serves 4–6
French Onion Soup
- 50g (2oz) butter
- 675g (1 ½lb) onions, thinly sliced
- 1 tbsp caster sugar
- 25g (1oz) plain flour
- 1 litre (1 ¾ pints) beef stock
- 1 tbsp cider vinegar
- Gruyère croûtes:
- 8–12 thin slices baguette
- 100g (4oz) Gruyère cheese, grated
- 50g (2oz) crème fraîche
- 1 tsp snipped fresh chives, extra to garnish
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
Melt the butter in a large pan and add the onions and sugar.
Cook the onions over a very low heat for 40–50 minutes, until well softened and golden brown, stirring occasionally so that the onions don’t stick as they caramelise. Stir the flour into the onions and cook over a very low heat for another 5 minutes, stirring continuously.
Gradually pour in the stock and add the vinegar, stirring to prevent any lumps from forming. Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15–20 minutes, until the onions are meltingly tender and the soup has thickened, stirring occasionally. Season to taste. Preheat the grill to high. Arrange the baguette slices on the grill rack and toast on both sides. Mix the Gruyère with the crème fraîche and chives.
Season to taste and spread over the slices of toasted baguette. Place under the grill for another 1–2 minutes, until the cheese is bubbling and melted. To serve, ladle the soup into warmed bowls and arrange the bubbling Gruyère croûtes on top. Sprinkle over the chives to serve.