Recipe: Mushroom and merlot soup

Perfect for nippy nights.

Chilly nights call for warm and comforting soup.

Ingredients:

100g butter

1 medium brown onion, diced

2 large cloves garlic, crushed

500g portobello mushrooms, sliced

1/4 tsp each: chopped rosemary leaves, thyme leaves

Flaky sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste

1 cup good merlot wine

4 cups chicken or vegetable stock

7 tbsp flour

2 cups milk

Method:

Melt half the butter in a large, heavy saucepan. Add onion, garlic, mushrooms, herbs and seasonings. Cook on low heat for about 20 minutes. Add wine and simmer for 15 minutes, until liquid is reduced by half. Add stock. Simmer for 15 minutes, until reduced by one-third.

Meanwhile, make a roux by melting remaining butter in a small saucepan. Stir in flour until well incorporated, but not brown. Gradually whisk in milk. Simmer, stirring constantly, for about 5 minutes until thickened.

Remove a few slices of mushroom from soup mixture. Place aside for garnishing.

Using a hand-held blender, puree soup mixture until smooth. Whisk in roux. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for about 5 minutes. Garnish top of each serving with reserved sliced mushrooms. The top can also be dotted with equal amounts of olive oil and balsamic vinegar. This complements the richness of the soup. - Serves 6-8.