Rachel Khoo's Wild Mushroom broth

Thick and creamy: we are all familiar with the brutish treatment that mushrooms often undergo when made into a soup. In my opinion, mushrooms are a luxury, especially chanterelles or other wild fungi of the woods, so when I have the pleasure of cooking with them, I opt for a pure approach. This delicate soup is inspired by a Japanese-style broth. It’s clean and comforting, and makes a quick, light evening meal if you’re counting calories.

Wild Mushroom broth

Serves 2 as a light main or 4 as a starter

15g dried wild mushrooms

3cm fresh ginger, sliced

500ml dashi stock (found at Waitrose, or use chicken stock)

250ml water

1 tbsp brown rice miso

200g mixed mushrooms (chanterelle, shiitake, portabellini)

30g butter

1 clove of garlic, peeled

1 leek, finely sliced into rounds

Soy sauce, to taste

Juice of ½ lemon

Mirin, to taste

Toasted sesame oil, to drizzle

Start by making the broth. Place the dried mushrooms and ginger in a medium saucepan and add the dashi and water. Bring to a simmer, add the miso and simmer gently for a further 10 minutes.

In the meantime, slice or quarter the mixed mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. Heat a large frying pan over a medium heat, add the butter and melt. Once hot and foaming, add the mushrooms. Cook for about 2 minutes, making sure the butter doesn’t burn (turn the heat down if it does), toss them around in the pan and then grate the garlic over the top. Toss the pan again and cook for a further 1-2 minutes until golden. Distribute the mushrooms between 2 or 4 serving bowls. Scatter the finely sliced leek rounds over the top.

Strain the broth through a fine sieve and taste. (You can discard the dried mushrooms or add them back to the soup at this point.) Adjust to taste with soy, lemon juice and mirin and then pour over the mixed mushrooms and leeks in each bowl. Serve immediately, drizzled with a little sesame oil.