Creamy Mushroom and Chestnut Soup with Pear, Sage, and Hazelnut Croutons

Ingredients

• 350 g cremini or chestnut mushrooms
• 150 g shiitake mushrooms, stems removed
• 180 g cooked, peeled chestnuts
• 1 small ripe but firm pear
• 1 medium yellow onion
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 25 g unsalted butter
• 50 ml dry sherry
• 850 ml vegetable stock, preferably low-sodium and celery-free
• 150 ml heavy cream
• 3 sprigs fresh thyme
• 4 leaves fresh sage, plus extra to garnish if desired
• 80 g sourdough bread, cut into small cubes
• 25 g hazelnuts, roughly chopped
• 1 tsp lemon juice
• 0.5 tsp fine salt, plus more to taste

Preparation

1. 1Prepare your workspace. Wipe the mushrooms clean with a damp paper towel rather than soaking them, since water on the mushrooms makes them harder to brown. Slice the cremini mushrooms about 5 mm thick and slice the shiitake caps. Finely dice the onion. Peel and core the pear, then dice it into small pieces. Keep the chestnuts, stock, cream, herbs, and sherry measured out nearby so you can add them easily.
2. 2Toast the hazelnuts in a dry frying pan over medium-low heat for 3–5 minutes, stirring often. They are ready when they smell warm and nutty and have a few golden patches; take them off the heat before they darken too much, as they can burn quickly. Tip them onto a plate. Add the bread cubes and 1 teaspoon of the olive oil to the same pan. Toast over medium heat for 5–7 minutes, turning often, until crisp and golden on several sides. Set both toppings aside.