Cream of Garlic and Mushroom Soup

This dish has heaps of iron in it, as well as calcium, and garlic (to keep away those nasty colds and 'flus). Vampires beware! The dish really doesn't taste too garlic-y by they time the ingredients are all blended together, though.

Cream of Garlic and Mushroom Soup:

Ingredients:

25 garlic cloves
4 cups "white" mushrooms
6 Tbsp butter
1 tsp Thyme leaves (freshly chopped or dried)
3 - 4 Tbsp plain flour (start with 3)
1 cup water
1 cup "chicken" stock (I use vegetarian chicken style cubes/powder from Massel)
1 cup milk (I use Organic Valley - it's organic milk)
1 cup cream
Salt and pepper (to taste)
a few springs of fresh parsley (roughly chopped)

Method:

1. Seperate garlic cloves and blanch in boiling water for 1 min. Drain and peel.
2. Sweat the mushrooms in butter for 5 mins, then lift out of the pan and put to the side.
3. Add the garlic and thyme to the butter and mushroom juices still in the pan. Gently cook with the lid on for about 10-15 mins until the garlic cloves are tender.
4. Add the plain flour and cook for several minutes.
5. Turn up the heat and add the "chicken" stock and water.
6. Add the milk, a little at a time, stirring well.
7. Simmer for 10 mins.
8. Add the mushrooms and simmer for another minute to heat them through.
9. Remove from the heat and blend the mixture to make it smooth.
10. Stir in the cream, seasoning with salt and pepper to taste.
11. Serve sprinkled with roughly chopped parsley and some fresh bread.

Serves: 4

Rating: - 4.5