Cream of Mushroom Soup

Ingredients

• 12-16 button mushrooms, quartered
• 6-8 dried shiitake mushrooms, soaked for 15-20 minutes and sliced
• 10-15 morel mushrooms, soaked
• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 tablespoon butter
• 1 tablespoon chopped garlic
• 1 medium onion, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 tablespoons refined flour (maida)
• Salt to taste
• 1½ cups milk
• ¾ cup fresh cream + for drizzling 
• Crushed black peppercorns to taste + for sprinkling

Method

1. Heat olive oil and butter in a deep non-stick pan. Add garlic sauté till fragrant. Add onions and sauté till it turns translucent.
2. Add thyme leaves and flour, mix well and sauté for a minute.
3. Add button mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms and salt, mix well, cover and cook for 5-6 minutes. Add morel mushrooms with the water and mix well. Add salt and mix.
4. Remove from heat and blend with a hand blender. Add water as required and blend to a smooth puree.
5. Strain the puree into another non-stick pan.
6. Heat the strained puree, add milk, mix well and cook for 5-6 minutes.
7. Add cream and crushed peppercorns, mix well and simmer for 2 minutes.
8. Drizzle cream, sprinkle crushed peppercorns and serve hot with garlic bread.