Chinese medicine utilises a number of different mushrooms for their medicinal and healing effects.  Readily available species such as button or shitake mushrooms also have health-giving properties, including antibiotic and immune boosting functions.  This creamy mushroom soup ticks all the boxes – it’s simple, quick, delicious and nourishing.

50g butter

1 onion, diced

500g mushrooms

Juice of ½ a lemon

600g of water

1 vege stock cube

1 tablespoon of cornflour

¼ cup of cream

Serves 4

Melt the butter in a saucepan over low heat.  Add the onion and fry gently until translucent.  Add the remaining ingredients, except the cream and lemon juice.  Bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer uncovered for 20 minutes.  Add the cream and lemon juice and cook for a further 10 minutes or until the mushrooms are tender.  Use a stick blender or a food processor to blend the soup until creamy.  Serve hot with a little extra cream drizzled on top.