Cream of Mushroom Soup

"For soup, mushrooms need not be the choicest buttons. Large, flat mushrooms will have better flavour." This recipe comes from Charmaine Solomon's Complete Vegetarian Cookbook. It was the first cookbook I purchased when I gave up meat, and it is filled with really fantastic recipes, but since my Zaar addiction I hardly *look* at a cookbook anymore! :D So while I'm looking at this one, I'll post some recipes I'd like to try.

• Ready In: 35 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 500  g mushrooms, wiped & sliced
• 50  g butter
• 1  garlic clove, crushed
• 1  onion, finely chopped
• 1 (375 ml) can evaporated milk (12 fl oz)
• 2  cups milk (16 fl oz)
• 2  cups water
•  fresh ground black pepper, to taste
• 1  teaspoon salt (or to taste)
• 1  tablespoon cornflour (cornstarch)
• 2  tablespoons  chopped fresh coriander (cilantro)

Directions

1. Heat butter in a heavy-based saucepan and gently saute the onion and garlic until soft.
2. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring, for 2 mins, then grind plenty of black pepper over the top and sprinkle with salt.
3. Cover with a well fitting lid and cook on very low hea, shaking the pan from time to time, for 10 minutes.
4. Add all the liquid and stir as it comes to a simmer.
5. Mix cronflour with a little cold water and stir into the soup until it thickens.
6. Simmer, stirring for 1 minute, then stir in the coriander, saving a little bit of it for garnish.