It's a cold day – perfect for soup!

My absolute favourite soup is cream of mushroom but the mushrooms have to be good - since my freezer stash of prepared mushrooms are Portobello – big fat tick!

Cream of Mushroom Soup

1 medium onion, finely diced

250g/8oz mushrooms, preferably portabello, finely sliced

(the frozen stash - defrosted)

50g/2oz unsalted butter

1 tbsp of plain flour

850mls/1½ pints of semi-skimmed milk or vegetable stock

285mls/½ pint of double cream

Grated nutmeg – optional

chopped parsley

celery salt and black pepper

Sauté the onion in the butter, gently, for 10 minutes. Using the same gentle heat, stir in the flour, keep it moving to allow the flour to cook for 1-2 minutes and then gradually add the milk or stock, whisking continuously. Simmer for 15 minutes, then add the mushrooms.

Season with celery salt, black pepper and nutmeg, then add the cream.

Blitz the soup to a smooth consistency. Set aside until you're ready to serve, re-heat on a low heat until piping hot.

Serve in warmed bowls, garnish with the chopped parsley and freshly baked rolls or baguettes on the side.

Here it is :

this soup falls into the “keep it simple” category –

in other words let the ingredients speak for

themselves – I'm sorry you can't experience

the delicious aroma of intense mushrooms

and cream!

My forage in the fridge, continued ...