Mmmmm Mushroom Soup

I simply can't resist foraging, and this autumn has been a bumper one for mushrooms - I come home most mornings from walking the dog with a kilo or so, and love the flavour as well as the pleasure of getting something for nothing. . .
At first we just sauteed them in butter with a little seasoning and served them with toasted ciabatta for breakfast - sublime. Then soups came to mind, and I conjured up this creamy, lightly spiced brew which just works!

Field mushrooms

and mmmm mushroom soup!

                                            Mmmmm Mushroom Soup

Apart from the pleasure of foraging to get something for nothing, gathering field mushrooms with this creamy, lightly spiced soup in mind is a treat to look forward to every Autumn. Field mushrooms give it a particularly wonderful flavour, although it’s also very very good made from cultivated mushrooms, either buttons or portobello.  The chilli provides the perfect spark but the spices don’t overpower; this is truly a soup to remember and is also quick and straightforward to make.

If using field mushrooms that have been rained on, they may be lightly waterlogged, in which case less milk will be needed – about four cups should be fine.*

120g butter

2 large cloves garlic, peeled and chopped finely

1 tsp ground cumin

1 Tbsp ground coriander
1 tsp smoked paprika

½ tsp chilli powder

700g mushrooms, sliced thinly

¼ cup plain flour

4-5 cups milk *

1 ½ tsp salt or to taste and lots of freshly ground black pepper

Flat leaf parsley, chopped, for garnish.

Melt the butter over a low heat in a large, heavy based saucepan.

Sauté the garlic until fragrant, then stir in the cumin, coriander, paprika and chilli powder..Saute for 2-3 minutes, then turn up the heat and stir in the prepared mushrooms.

Saute until soft and moisture is released, 5-10 minutes.

Stir in the flour and cook, bubbling, for a few minutes., stirring. Add a little more butter or oil if needed, as this step is important to cook the flour.

Stir in half the milk, stirring constantly, and bring to simmer point before adding the remainder of the milk and bringing to simmer point again. Don’t boil.

Stir in the salt and pepper.

Pour into heated bowls and garnish with chopped flat leaf parsley.

 Apart from the mushrooms, which I've now made into base soup mixtures and frozen ready to stir in the flour and milk, there is so much produce to deal with - basil to be turned into pesto and frozen, tomatillos to make into salsa base and freeze, beat the birds to the figs and the persimmons, rescue the last of the passionfruit, and deal to truckloads of feijoas.
From a kitchen filled with the smell of fresh basil, garlic, mushroom soup and freshly cooked chutneys - happy Easter!

Basil, garlic and  tomatillos

tomatillos

Tomatillos husked and washed