Potato and Porcini Soup with Walnut Oil

Potato and Porcini Soup with Walnut Oil

15 g dried porcini

50 g unsalted butter

500 g potatoes

2 onions

1 sprig thyme

1 lemon

2 whole garlic cloves, peeled

2 fresh bay leaves

1 litre chicken or vegetable stock

25 g parsley

300 ml milk

walnut oil

salt and freshly ground black pepper

Place the dried porcini in a heatproof measuring jug and pour over 500 ml boiling water to cover. Leave to soak for 20 minutes, then drain, reserve the soaking water and chop the mushrooms finely. Chop the onions. Using a vegetable peeler slice a thin sliver of zest from the lemon.

Melt butter in a large heavy bottomed pan, add the onion, and cook until lightly golden. Add the chopped porcini and continue cooking gently for a further 10 minutes.

Peel and dice the potatoes and add to the pan with the thyme, lemon zest, garlic, stock and reserved mushroom water. Season bring to a boil, reduce heat and simmer for about 15 minutes until the potatoes are tender. Hook out the lemon, bay leaves and what’s left of the thyme sprig. Add the parsley, remove from heat, leave to cool for about 10 minutes then puree until smooth then pass through a fine sieve.

Reheat and ladle into warmed soup bowls. Serve with a little swirl of walnut oil.

From archive of my Cheat's Dinner Party column Stella Magazine