Potato, Mushroom And Bacon Soup - cooking recipe

Ingredients

750 g medium-sized potatoes, scrubbed
2 tbsp olive oil
650 g mushrooms, wiped and sliced
2 None onions, peeled and chopped
20 g butter
40 g plain flour
3-4 tbsp dry white wine
1 litre vegetable stock
200 ml double cream
4 None thin rashers streaky bacon
3 tbsp fresh chopped chives, plus whole chives, to garnish
1/2 tsp pink peppercorns, lightly crushed

Preparation

Boil the whole the potatoes in a large pan of lightly salted boiling water for 20 mins. until almost tender. Drain well and when cool enough to handle peel off the skins. Finely dice the potato flesh.
Heat the oil in a large pan and fry about a quarter of the mushrooms until they release their liquid. Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside. Add the onions to the pan and fry gently for 7-8 mins. then add the butter and the rest of the mushrooms and fry for 6-7 mins. until softened. Stir in the flour and cook for 1 min. then gradually stir in the wine, stock and cream. Bring to a boil, then simmer for 1 min.
Preheat the broiler. Add the potatoes to the pan and simmer for a further few mins. until the potatoes are very soft. Use an immersion blender to puree the soup then season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Broil the bacon until crispy, then chop into pieces.
Serve the soup in warmed bowls topped with the fried mushrooms, bacon, chopped chives and pink peppercorns. Garnish with whole chives.