Cream of Leek & Mushroom Soup......Boletus Magnificus!

The sweltering heat has gone to my head! I can hardly believe I am talking soup when the thermometer is touching 25 degrees and we have just had a thundery downpour.......but soups do not have to be a prerequisite of a chilly winter's day, they can not only be thick and comforting but light, and satisfyingly suitable for a summer snack or full blown meal.

We are at the end of the leek season which usually tops off at the end of May, and you will notice, if
you are still buying leeks, that their cores tend to be much firmer and solid compared to earlier in the growing season.

Mushrooms, thanks to all those eerily dark and musty polytunnels, are available all year round. The flavour of these pearl white beauties can be less mushroomy than that of wild mushrooms so you may have to make do with whatever you can get in the supermarket......but it is a lot of fun to join a foraging group and hunt out your own on misty autumn mornings, and it's hard to beat the flavour of freshly picked wild mushrooms with their woody forest scents.
There are many foraging groups out there and you are best to seek advice from someone who knows their mushrooms before picking any yourself as they can be dangerous little moulds and make you very ill if you eat the wrong one....or you could end up having an unusual experience!....if you get my drift.


You may imagine this soup to be heavy and thick, even similar to leek and potato; not something you might want to eat at this time of year, but surprisingly it is not. It is light, full of flavour and the cream is not what you think! Enjoy this soup for lunch or even dinner, or supper in the evening. It's keto friendly too!
Leeks and bacon always go so well together, so you can add some pancetta or strips of fried bacon to the actual soup or scatter some on top just before serving.....or leave them out altogether if you are vegetarian or vegan.

You will need.......gives 4 - 6 portions

150 g mushrooms...I like to use either closed cap button or those dark under-skinned wide cap one's
200 g leek...use the green and white parts
1/2 small white onion
50 g butter
1 litre vegetable stock...either bought, or you can always make your own....feel free to just use water if you like...you could also use chicken stock
sea salt
fresh black pepper
150 mls coconut milk....get the nice thick creamy stuff that usually comes in a can
50 g pancetta / smoked bacon

How to......

• have your stock / water on heating
• clean your mushrooms and cut away any not nice looking bits and slice them, not too thin though, we would like them to hold their shape....but if you intend to puree this soup, then cut them as you like, they're going to be pulverised anyway.
• trim the leeks then slice and wash really well in cold water, drain in a sieve or colander
• peel and thinly slice the onion
• if you want to add bacon or pancetta to the soup....then heat a deep non stick saucepan, add the meat and let it cook in its own fat before adding the onions etc.......otherwise......heat the butter in a deep saucepan, add the onion and mushrooms and cook gently for a few moments, you can let the mushrooms brown a little
• add the sliced leeks and cook for a few moments more
• add the hot stock or water and let the soup cook away at a medium simmer until all the vegetables are soft
• by now a lot of the liquid should have reduced, so add the coconut milk
• bring to the boil and reduce a little so the soup becomes nice and thick
• season with salt and pepper to your liking
• at this point you can serve it up and top with some more lardons of crisply fried pancetta or bacon, or you can puree the soup in a blender or food processor and then serve.....scatter with some chopped chives and you can add a dollop of soured cream or creme fraiche if you like.

This soup is perfect for the freezer as it defrosts and reheats as if fresh. 

In keeping with true keto style, you might like to add some cheese when serving....some crumbled blue cheese scattered on top so it melts down into the soup is delicious... try adding some grated gruyere and then popping it under the grill so it get all crisply toasted....yum!