Mushroom soup

Ingredients (serves 6):
100g unsalted butter
2 shallots, finely chopped
1 small clove garlic, finely chopped
1 celery stick, finely diced
600g mixed mushrooms (such as white button, Portobello, shiitake or brown field mushrooms), diced into very small pieces
Salt and black pepper to taste
1/4 cup dry white wine
1 litre chicken stock
1 sachet bouquet garni
freshly grated nutmeg
3/4 cup cream

Method:
1. In a large saucepan, heat the butter and gently sweat the shallots, garlic and celery without browning them, 5 minutes.
2. Add the diced mushrooms, season with a pinch of salt and pepper, and cover the pan. Sweat for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Add the wine, let it bubble for a minute or two, then add the stock.
4. Bring to a boil, then add the bouquet garni and simmer gently for 20 minutes or so.
5. Taste and adjust seasoning. Add a few gratings of nutmeg.
6. Add the cream and taste again. Adjust seasoning and remove the bouquet garni sachet.
7. You can serve it hot as it is, or blitz it in a blender so that the soup is smooth.

Tips:
Serve recipe with FairPrice’s garlic bread ($3.95 for 450g) available at all FairPrice supermarkets.

Recipe source: Today newspaper (18 Sep 2008)