Cream of Wild Mushroom Soup

• 30g or 1 ounce dried wild mushrooms

• 1 cups hot water

• 3 tablespoons olive oil

• 2 cloves garlic, minced (1 tablespoon)

• 1 small yellow onion diced.

• 424g or 1 pound fresh cremini or button mushrooms, halved and sliced into 1/4-inch slices

• 1/3 cup dry sherry

• 3 cups good quality chicken stock (or vegetable broth for vegetarian version)

• 1 teaspoon herbes de provence

• 1/2 teaspoon dried thyme

• 1 bay leaf

• 1/2 teaspoon salt (plus more to taste)

• 1/2 cup heavy cream * ( for vegans you can boil and mash potatoes)

• 1/2 cup finely chopped parsley

• Freshly ground black pepper  to taste

Directions

1. Soak dried mushrooms in water for 30 minutes. Drain and set aside - keep the water.
2. In a large soup pot, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add the onion and cook until tender, about 3 to 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and stir for 30 seconds.
3. Add the fresh mushrooms to the pot and sauté until the mushrooms are mostly cooked down, about 8 minutes. Add the dried herbs and then add the sherry and let it cook off.
4. Add the drained dried mushrooms, broth, and water. Bring to a boil; cover and simmer for 45 minutes. Take it off the heat and add the cream
5. Working in batches, transfer soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Alternatively, use an immersion blender to blend the soup directly in the pot. Return the pureed soup to the pot and season with salt and pepper. You may remove the bay leaf.
6. Serve hot, garnished with pepper, a drizzle of truffle oil or a dollop of crème fraiche and a sprinkling of parsley.