Ingredients

Wild Mushroom Soup

• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1ll leek, white finely chopped
• 2 garlic, clove finely chopped
• 300g white button mushrooms, finely chopped
• 200g wild mushroom, finely sliced
• 20g dried wild mushroom, reconsituted in 150ml boiling water, drained and infused water reserved
• 200g parsnip, peeled and chopped into 5mm cube
• 1ltr vegetable or chicken stock
• 500ml double cream
• 1 tbsp chives finely chopped

To Serve

• 5g truffle shavings
• 10 ml truffle oil
• pinch porcini powder (optional)

Method

1. Wild Mushroom Soup: In a large saucepan over a moderate heat ploace the oil, leeks and garlic, saute for a few minutes until the leeks are soft. Add the mushrooms and cook for a couple of minutes until tender. Stir in the parsnips and cook briefly to coat with the rest of the ingredients. Pour in the stock, reserved mushroom water, and cream. Leave the soup to simmer for 20 minutes, stirring occasionally until the parsnips are soft. Remove the soup from the stove and allow the it to cool for a couple of minutes. Add the chives to the soup and liquidise it in batches in a blender or food processor, unilt it is smooth. Return the soup to the saucepan and reheat adjust the consistency if necessary (the soup should be smooth, and pourable) if it is to thick add a little cream or stock. Taste the soup and season with a little salt and white pepper.
2. To Serve: Distribute the soup among 6 warm soup bowls, sprinkle over the porcini powder (optional), drizzle a little truffle oil over the soup and sprinkle over the shavings. Serve hot.

• Truffle oil is available from many supermarkets, delicatisms, and other food shops. Its flavour is very concentrated and just a little drizzle of it gives a very intense flavour.
• Truffles and truffle oil may be omitted. If not using them garnish the soup with some finely chopped chives and or sauted wild mushrooms.