The Home Economics Bit
Did you know?
Soup recipes often require the addition of flour, but why? The reason is that flour can help to thicken the soup, giving it a more desirable consistency. This is due to gelatinisation. Gelatinisation is the term used to describe the process whereby heat causes starch grains to swell and burst, and absorb surrounding liquid. In doing so, the starch reduces/thickens the soup/sauce that it has been added to. In this recipe, I’ve used 2 tbsp of gluten free plain flour as a starch to allow for gelatinisation. However, if the soup you are making already contains potatoes then you may not need to add flour, because potatoes are a naturally gluten free source of starch that will thicken the soup sufficiently.
Gluten Free Mushroom Soup
A creamy and flavoursome gluten free mushroom soup that can be whipped up in minutes.
Ingredients
- 90 g butter
- 2 medium onions roughly chopped
- 1 garlic clove crushed
- 500 g mushrooms finely chopped, chestnut/button mushrooms
- 2 tbsp gluten free plain flour
- 1 litre chicken stock ensure gluten free
- 1 bay leaf
- 4 tbsp single cream plus 1 additional tbsp, to garnish
- Fresh parsley chopped, to serve
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a large saucepan over a medium heat. Cook the onions and garlic until soft but not browned, about 8-10 mins.
- Add the mushrooms and cook over a high heat for another 3 mins until softened.
- Stir in the gluten free flour and cook for 1-2 minutes (to enable gelatinisation).
- Add the chicken stock, bring the mixture to the boil, then add the bay leaf and simmer for another 10 mins.
- Remove and discard the bay leaf.
- Remove the soup from the heat and blitz until smooth using a hand blender.
- Reheat gently and stir through the cream.
- Garnish with 1 tbsp cream, swirled, and the chopped parsley.
- Serve.
Absolutely delicious!