Smoked Mushroom Soup with Gorgonzola Toast

Smoked Mushrooms: Line the bottom of the pot with some of the foil and place the wood shavings on top. Cover the shavings with another layer of foil and place the pot’s steamer insert on top.

Add in your washed and dried Mushrooms (5 cups) and place the lid on top. Using some more foil, tightly seal in the edges around the pot’s lid so that no smoke can escape. Cook on high heat for about 5 minutes then turn down the heat to medium for another 10 minutes.

Remove the pot from the heat and allow to rest for a further 10 minutes.

The soup: Add the Chicken Stock (4 cups) into a pot and set over medium heat. Meanwhile, melt the Butter (0.5 oz) in a pan before adding in the smoked mushrooms and Fresh Thyme Leaves (2 sprigs).

Fry on high for 5 minutes, tossing constantly. Add in the Sherry Wine (10 tsp) and simmer until reduced. Add the mushroom mixture into the simmering chicken stock and stir to combine. If using, add in the Stock Cube (1) and the shredded Roasted Chicken (to taste).

Remove from the heat and using an immersion blender, whizz the soup until smooth. Stir through the Fresh Cream (1 cup), season with Coarse Sea Salt (to taste) and Coarse Black Pepper (to taste), and leave to stand so that the flavours can develop.

Oozy Gorgonzola Toastie: Butter (to taste) one side of each Ciabatta Bread (4 slices). Facing the buttered side out, layer the Gorgonzola Cheese (to taste) and Ripe Camembert (to taste) on top of one another – be generous to the point of greed.

Top with the second slice – butter side out – and place on a flat-top toaster, pressing to flatten. A pan works just as well but make sure to flatten your sandwich with a plate weighed down with tinned food, turning once golden.

Toast until crisp and the cheese is bubbly and oozing out of the sides of the sandwich. Serve immediately. Enjoy!