This Stout and Mushroom soup is a rich, dark all weather soup, a tightrope of taste-balance between luscious earthy mushroom flavors and the caramel rigors of stout.

To start, choose flavorful mushrooms and a sweet and dark stout that’s not too bitter, taste as you go, follow your instincts and emerge deeply nourished!

Gather together:

1 onion, chopped

4 small tomatoes, chopped

250g Portobello mushrooms, sliced

40g salted butter

1 tablespoon tomato puree

500ml Freed Bone Broth (Beef)

250ml dark stout (We used Castle Milk Stout, because of its coffee-toffee undertones)

1 tablespoon plain flour

1 bay leaf, a  tablespoon of chopped parsley

sea salt and pepper

Parmesan to finish.

Melt the knob of butter over a medium heat in a pan and fry the mushrooms, turning often, until soft and golden.

Add the onion and sweat for 5-10 minutes more.

Add the tomatoes and cook for 5-10 more minutes until they are soft.

Season with salt and black pepper.

Stir in the flour and cook gently for 2 minutes, before adding the bay leaf, stock, tomato puree and stout.

Stir as you bring the soup back to a simmer.

Continue to cook together for 10-15 minutes or so.

CHILL

Toss in the chopped spring onion. (and optional chili)

Ladle into bowls.

We like to top it off with a spoonful of sour cream and a little bit of chopped chili.

Serve warm or chilled with chunks of crusty bread! – and a salad.