Wild Mushroom and Butter Bean Soup

recipe

Wild Mushroom and Butter Bean Soup

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If you're not of the hunter/gatherer mode, says author Henrietta Green, simply buy your mushrooms dried, preferably from a farmers' market

Ingredients

25g dried wild mushrooms
2 tbsp olive oil
1 onion, peeled and sliced
2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
500g butter beans soaked overnight in water
150ml carton of full-fat Greek-style yoghurt
25g butter
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
fresh parsley, chopped (optional)

Serves: 6 Preparation: 150 Total Time: 150min

Directions

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Put the mushrooms in a suitable bowl, pour over about l boiling water and leave to soak for about minutes or until the mushrooms are quite soft.
Using a slotted spoon, lift out the mushrooms and refresh them by putting them in a clean bowl with just enough cold water to cover. Reserve the water in which the mushrooms have been soaking, but if it looks particularly gritty, strain it through a muslin-lined sieve. Otherwise leave it, as a few particles will not do any harm (actually, they will probably increase the flavour of the soup).
In a large saucepan, heat the olive oil, add the onion and garlic and cook gently over a moderate heat to soften, for about #minutes. Drain the butter beans and add to the saucepan, stirring with a wooden spoon until they are well coated ith the olive oil. Then pour in l water and the water in which the mushrooms have been soaking, gently bring to the boil and simmer for about minutes or until the butter beans are completely softened.
Using either a hand blender or food processor, whizz the soup until it is smooth. Return to the pan, stir in the yoghurt, adjust the seasoning and gently reheat. If you like your soup with a bit of texture, keep a few whole butter beans back before you pure&# the soup, then stir them in with the yoghurt.
Meanwhile, melt the butter in a suitable saut&# pan. Squeeze the mushrooms with your hands until they are dry and roughly chop them into small pieces. Add the mushrooms to the pan and saute gently over a medium heat for minutes or until they are tender. Stir the mushrooms into the soup, adjust the seasoning and, if you think the soup needs a little colour, sprinkle over some chopped parsley just before serving.
To order your copy of Henrietta Green's Farmers' Market Cookbook at the special price of &#. each, inc. posting and packaging, please call or send a cheque, made payable to Kyle Cathie Ltd, together with your name, address and telephone number, quoting ref FMIV, to: Kyle Cathie Ltd, Arlington Road, London, NWP.