Cream of mushrooms soup
I reckon it’s time I blogged another of my favourite soups. I was going to say legendary but perhaps it would be a touch too arrogant! As my readers (both of them…he he) will know I LOVE soups and I possess quite a repertoire. I know that some people find them boring but I am a huge fan! Nothing better than a hearty soup with a chunky piece of bread when the weather starts getting chilly ( the whole year round here in England, then!!!). I think I have waxed lyrical about them before. Anyway….This week in my veggie delivery box there were loads of mushrooms. As I had already bought some myself I ended up with quite a humungus quantity in the fridge so I decided to make a soup. As I didn’t follow a recipe ingredients are roughly guessed. In truth you can’t go wrong with soups, most of the time. I DID use one thing you can’t find here in the UK, mind, and it’s the Star Porcini stock cubes! FABULOUS stuff if you are cooking with mushrooms. I used the last one tonight so I must stock up next time I’m in Italy. Actually I take it all back. I’ve just googled them and would you believe it?? You CAN buy them here in the UK after all. I have just found them on Amazon!!!! Unbelievable!! It has made my day!!!! 
INGREDIENTS (serves 4)
750 gr. of mushrooms (I used a combination of field mushrooms and chestnut)
1 large potato, peeled and diced
1 large onion, roughly chopped
4-5 spring onions, sliced
500.ml milk
250 ml. soya milk (but just use 750 ml. milk, by all means)
250 water
2 vegetable stock cubes (DO use the Porcini ones in Italy!)
knob of butter
3 tbspoons cream
grated parmesan
chopped parsley
METHOD
Melt the butter in a large pan. Add the onions, potatoes and spring onions and sweat for 5 minutes or so. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the milk, water (the quantities of the liquid are estimated. You basically have to cover the mushrooms) and stock cubes and bring to the boil. Cook until soft (I used a pressure cooker), liquidize the lot and add the cream. Serve with grated parmesan and chopped parsley sprinkled on the top.
Eccomi di ritorno coi miei commentini.
La zuppa ai funghi e’ la mia preferita specialmente quella con l’ aggiunta dei mitici porcini ( profumatissimi!). Poiche’ siamo in UK dobbiamo accontentarci di quello che abbiamo a disposizione e la tua versione, cara Lucina, e’ eccellente.
Ma …….. come mai l’ aggiunta del latte di soya?????
Simply because I had some in the fridge is the answer. Use milk by all means. Or half water, half milk. I’m sure it will taste equally delicious. I’ve investigated the porcini stock cubes on Amazon. Postage and packing costs double what the actual stock cubes cost. I won’t rush to order then. I must remember to stock up ( what an apt word!) when I go to Italy at the end of September!
Davvero buffo vedere su Amazon la sorridente donnina Star!! Non ci posso credere. Le tue zuppette, creme, cremine hanno da tempo convertito anche me e perfino la mia famiglia, fiera avversaria di tutto il brodame, le mangia senza lamentarsi, quasi stupita che, in fondo, non è male. Ricordo gli hit del tuo repertorio che mi hai passato negli anni:
carote, lenticchie rosse e coriandolo
cavolfiore e gorgonzola
peperone e philadelphia
diverse varianti con la zucca…
Per ora da noi non è ancora tempo di zuppe, c’è un settembre caldissimo che non dispone, ma in capo a un mesetto verrano buone!
I’m happy to know the soup culture has percolated across the channel! And I’m even happier to find out that it’s still hot in Italy, ready for my homecoming . Here it is decisively autumnal!:-(