Mushroom soup

In the cooler months you may find you’re more attracted to warming foods, and rightly so. On a cold winter’s day there is nothing like a steaming bowl of soup.

This twist on a classic soup could be just the ticket for an early spring lunch when the temperatures are still cool enough for our bodies to crave something warm and nourishing. This recipe uses the natural creaminess of cashews to achieve the divine texture that traditionally comes from the addition of large amounts of cream.

Reduce the water content in this recipe and use it as a delicious mushroom sauce.

Ingredients

2 Tbsp	Olive oil
1	Onion, small, finely diced
1 clove	Garlic, finely diced
1 Tbsp	Oregano, roughly chopped
1 Tbsp	Rosemary, roughly chopped
200 g	Swiss brown mushrooms, roughly chopped (Main)
300 g	Button mushrooms, roughly chopped
½ cup	Cashew nuts, raw
2 cups	Water, filtered

Directions

1. Heat the olive oil in a saucepan and gently fry the onion, garlic, herbs and mushrooms over a medium heat for 2 minutes or until soft, but don't allow them to brown. All the oil should absorb into the mushrooms. Season well with salt and pepper, turn the heat to low and continue cooking, stirring constantly for 5 minutes to allow all the juices from the mushrooms to come out.
2. Add the 2 cups of water, bring to the boil and cook for 2 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow to cool and rest.
3. Taste and adjust seasoning if needed before pouring into a high speed blender. Add the cashews and blend until smooth and creamy. To serve, return the soup to a saucepan and slowly bring back to boiling point. This soup freezes well.