Truffle and garlic croutons with mushroom soup

I firmly believe that soup is s starter, not a meal. That being said, on a cold winters day and paired with a good sandwich then you are on to a winner. It is also great for meal prepping, part of a balanced diet and has minimal effort and clean up – perfect for the lazy chef.

This soup is nice, but it is the croutons that make it great – so take the time to make them if you can!

Ingredients

750g mushrooms

1 large white onion

3 stalks celery

4 white potatoes

1 litre veg stock

1 knob butter (optional depending on dietary restrictions)

For the croutons

2 slices of any bread

Garlic granules

Truffle oil

2 sprigs fresh thyme

Method

• If you are using a slow cooker, just dice your ingredients then bung everything in and leave for 2/3 hours, blend with a little milk or cream if desired and salt and pepper to taste.

• If you are using a pan, simply dice your ingredients then lightly fry your onions with the butter or oil

• add the rest of the ingredients

• bring to the boil then simmer for half an hour

Want a little something extra? Blend some spinach at the end to pretend you are healthier than you really are.

Method for croutons

• Preheat your oven to 200

• Slice your bread into squares and place in a pan.

• Drizzle with the truffle oil, about 1 teaspoon of the garlic granules and sprinkle the thyme and give it all a shake together with a little salt

• Cook for 15 minutes.