Easy Mushroom Soup

Serves 6

• 80g butter • 2 onions, finely chopped • sea salt and black pepper • 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped • 500g (2 punnets) button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced • 2 small potatoes, peeled and chopped • 1L mushroom stock (or dilute chicken stock) • 250ml full-cream milk

To serve

• 1T butter • 150g (1 punnet) baby button mushrooms, cleaned • cream (optional) • 1 baguette (and butter) Add the butter, onions and a good pinch of salt to a medium-sized pot over low to medium-low heat and put the lid on. Cook for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove the lid and cook for 45 minutes until soft and caramelised. Check and stir frequently in the last 30 minutes. Add the garlic in the last five minutes. Add the mushrooms, turn up the heat to medium and cook, stirring, until softened. Add the potato and stir until coated with butter. Add the stock and milk and bring to the boil. Once boiling, reduce the heat, replace the lid and simmer gently for 15 minutes or until the potatoes are cooked. Process with a handheld blender until smooth, and season if necessary. When ready to serve, heat the butter over high heat in a large pan until bubbling. Add the baby button mushrooms, season well and cook quickly, moving constantly, until nicely browned. Dish up the hot soup, adding a drizzle of cream to each. Spoon the browned baby mushrooms onto the cream and serve with a warm crusty baguette and cheese.