Mike Van de Elzen: Lentil, mushroom soup with smoked butter garlic ciabatta

Mushrooms! Who loves them? We all do! (well, I would have to say most people do apart from my two girls) But here's hoping that will change as they get older.  
The reason why I want to talk about mushrooms this week.  
First reason: as the rain has come this week, with it has come the mushrooms growing under our totara tree. 
Second reason: for anyone wanting to know more about mushrooms and more so, growing your very own! We have a class coming up at the school which is all about that on the 14th of July. The last time we put on a mushroom class it was such an amazing day, I would recommend it for something to do that is totally different and if you have an interest in fungi! 
Enjoy 
Lentil, mushroom soup with smoked butter garlic ciabatta (serves 6) 
2 cups Puy lentils 
1 litre vegetable stock 
2 white onions, finely sliced 
6 field mushrooms, sliced 
1 whole clove of garlic 
2 Tbsp oil 
1 tsp smoked paprika 
½ tsp chilli powder 
1 tsp flakey salt 
freshly ground black pepper 
 
Preheat the oven to 180*c and place the whole clove of garlic into a small pan and then in the oven. Roast for 15 minutes and remove to allow to cool. 
Take a large pot and heat over a medium heat. 
Start by adding the oil followed by the onions, mushrooms and sauté for a couple of minutes before adding the smoked paprika and chilli powder. 
Rinse and drain the lentils, then add them to the pot along with the stock. 
Take the garlic and squeeze out the cloves, crush and add ½ in to the soup and reserve the rest for the garlic bread. 
Simmer until the lentils are just tender. Divide evenly between 6 soup bowls. Serve with the smoked garlic ciabatta bread. 
Smoked Garlic ciabatta 
1 ciabatta baguette 
125g unsalted butter, softened 
½ of the roasted garlic bulb 
2 Tbsp chopped fennel fronds 
1 Tbsp chopped fresh thyme 
1 tsp of smoked flakey salt (order online from the Good from Scratch farm shop) 
freshly ground black pepper 
 
Cut the baguette into 4 equal pieces, then cut each piece in a cross pattern, taking care not to cut all the way through the baguette. Mix all the other ingredients until well blended. Butter each section of the baguette generously, wrap all the bread in tin foil and bake in the oven for 12 minutes. 
Mike’s website – goodfromscratch.co.nz

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