Mushroom Soup - Recipe

Mushroom soup garnished with finely chopped fresh parsley

Making soup from just a few ingredients is a very cost effective way to feed ourselves and our families during the winter months, although I am more than happy to eat soup all year round.  I find a bowl of soup at lunchtime is filling and keeps me going until dinner.  Another reason I like to eat soup - it helps me to keep my weight at a sensible level so that I don't have to diet.  The recipe serves 4 people and works out at approximately 25p a bowl.

The soup can be frozen in soup bags after cooling or a more cost effective way is to pour the soup into a muffin tin and place in the freezer.  After the portions are frozen remove the muffin tin from the freezer and let them start to defrost around the edges. Remove the soup portions and either wrap them individually in cling wrap or thaw the portions at room temperature.

Okay better get started with the soup 

You will need:
50g diced onion
50g diced celery
50g diced leek
50g butter
1tbsp olive oil
50g plain flour
1 litre hot chicken stock
200g white mushrooms chopped
100ml semi-skimmed milk
Parsley, finely chopped to garnish

Method:
1. Melt the butter and oil in a large pan. add the diced onion, celery and leeks.  Cook gently to soften without colouring.
2. Add the flour to the pan and cook gently.  Gradually add the hot stock whilst continuously stirring, bring to the boil to thicken.
3. Add the chopped mushrooms, season.
4. Simmer for 45 minutes.
5. Cool the soup.
6. Liquidise.
7. Pour the liquidised soup through a strainer into a clean pan.
8. Add the milk and season if necessary.


I thought I'd share a few snapshots of the 'new kitchen'.  I'm really pleased with it and will put a few posts on the blog sharing my thoughts about using a Steam Combination Oven, induction hob and warming drawer.