Pie-crust Mushroom Soup

• serves 4

• Preparation time: 25

• Cooking time: 35

Ingredients

400g large field mushrooms
60 g butter
1 small onion, finely chopped
1 clove garlic, crushed
'/4 cup plain flour
3 cups chicken stock
2 tblsp fresh thyme leaves
2 tblsp sherry
1 cup cream
1 sheet frozen puff pastry, thawed
1 egg, lightly beaten

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C. Peel and roughly chop the mushrooms, including the stems. Melt the butter in a large heavy-based pan and add the onion; cook over medium heat for 3 minutes, until soft. Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute further. Add the mushrooms and cook until soft. Sprinkle the flour over them and stir for 1 minute.

2. Stir in the stock, add the thyme and bring to the boil. Reduce the heat to simmer, covered, for 10 minutes. Allow to cool before processing in batches. Return the soup to the pan, stir in the
sherry and cream and pour into 4 ovenproof bowls.

3. Cut rounds of pastry slightly larger than the bowl tops and cover each bowl with pastry (use small deep bowls rather than wide shallow ones or the pastry may sag into the soup).

4. Seal the edges of the pastry and brush lightly with the beaten egg. Bake for1.5 minutes, until golden and puffed. Serve immediately.

Notes