Garlicky Mushroom and Onion Soup

This is the kind of soup that makes a small kitchen smell like a proper home. Mushrooms have a deep, almost meaty flavour, and when you cook them slowly with sweet onions and garlic, they give up their juices and turn rich and brown. That browning is where most of the flavour lives, so give the mixture a few extra minutes if it looks pale.

Mushrooms are mostly water, which surprises many people. A cup of chopped mushrooms shrinks down a lot in the pan, so the three cups called for here cook down to a concentrated, earthy base. Because of that, you don't need cream to get a silky bowl. The trick in this recipe is to puree a portion of the cooked vegetables and stir it back in. The blended part thickens the soup naturally and the chunks left in keep it hearty.

A small tip: let the puree cool before you blend it. Hot liquid in a jar can build pressure and splash, and a cooled mixture blends smoother anyway. Also, add the whole wheat flour to the hot oil and stir it for a few seconds before the liquid goes in. That quick toast takes away the raw flour taste and stops lumps from forming.

For leftovers, this soup keeps well in a sealed container in the fridge for two or three days. It thickens as it sits, so loosen it with a splash of hot water when you reheat it. It also freezes nicely in portions, though the texture of the mushrooms softens a little. Reheat it gently rather than at a hard boil.

To make it a complete lunch, serve a bowl alongside a salad with a bit of crunch and sharpness. A bowl of Zesty Lemon Kidney Bean Salad works well, since the beans add protein and the lemon cuts through the earthiness. For something lighter and crisp, the Crunchy Chilled Radish Salad is a cool contrast to the warm soup.

Taste at the end before you serve. Mushrooms vary in how much salt they need, and a good grind of black pepper often brings the whole pot together. Keep the salt light and let the onion and garlic do the heavy lifting.