Creamed Mushroom Soup

Simple creamy mushroom soup served with croutons. Makes an easy first course for the Christmas dinner and can be made in advance.

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 2  ounces butter
• 8  ounces mushrooms, sliced
• 1  garlic clove, chopped
• 2  tablespoons flour
• 10  fluid ounces milk
• 1  chicken stock cube
• 4  fluid ounces  single cream
• 2  slices  bread, cubed
•  pepper
•  salt
•  oil (for frying)

Directions

1. Melt the butter and fry the mushrooms and garlic till just lightly golden.
2. Sprinkle the flour over the mushrooms and cook for two minutes stirring all the time.
3. Add the milk, crumble in the stock cube. Continue cooking till the whole has thickened. Stir in the cream. Remove from the heat. Liquidize the soup and return it to the pan.
4. Heat some oil in a fry pan and when hot fry the cubes of bread to make the croutons. Drain then on kitchen paper.
5. Re heat, without boiling the soup, adjust seasoning, add a little more milk if the soup is too thick.
6. Serve garnished with the croutons.