Roasted Mushroom Soup

Makes 4 serves / Takes 40 minutes / Gluten-free

The beauty of this belly-warming soup is that everything is done in the oven - no stirring required. Roasting intensifies the mushroominess and also gives you the chance to add even more flavours - think garlic, fennel and thyme. You can finish this soup with coconut cream to keep it dairy-free.

Roasted mushroom soup Photo: Jess Daniell

Ingredients

• 800g Portobello mushrooms, washed & ends trimmed
• 10 cloves garlic, unpeeled
• 1 onion, peeled  & roughly cut into wedges
• 6 sprigs fresh thyme
• 1-2 sprigs fresh rosemary, leaves only
• 1 tsp fennel seeds
• 4 Tbsp olive oil
• 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
• 2 cups vegetable stock
• 1 cup cream
• 1 lemon, zest & juice
• Parmesan, to serve
• Salt & pepper

Method

Preheat your oven to 180°C. Line an oven tray with baking paper. Arrange mushrooms, bottom sides facing up, on the tray, along with garlic, onion, thyme, rosemary and fennel seeds. Drizzle with oil and vinegar and season generously with salt and pepper. Bake for 25-30 minutes, tossing several times during cooking until mushrooms are tender. Remove from the oven and allow to cool slightly.

Remove thyme stems and squeeze the roasted garlic out of its skin. Add the entire tray of mushrooms, onions, garlic and herbs to the bowl of your food processor, including all of the juices. Add vegetable stock and blitz until smooth. Add cream, lemon zest and juice and blend until combined. Taste and adjust seasonings if necessary. Serve hot with an extra drizzle of cream, some shaved Parmesan and a drizzle of good-quality, extra-virgin olive oil.