Put your dried mushrooms in a small bowl and just cover with boiling water – I use a 1 cup measuring cup for this.

If you have a hob save slow cooker insert, pop that on the cooker on medium heat with the oil in. If not, use a large pot.

Chop the onions, celery and carrots very roughly into even sized chunks and add to the oil with the garlic, bay leaves, thyme and if using the chilli. Please read the blog post note on the chilli, especially if you don’t like your food too hot.

Make sure your mushrooms are clean and run your knife through them to break them down a little. Add to the pan also.

Cook for 2-3 minutes until the veg becomes a little caramelised around the edges then tip in your stock and the soaked dried mushrooms – I carefully pour in the liquid they have steeped in apart from the final tbsp or so which is full of sediment you don’t want in your soup.

Transfer to your slow cooker base and cook on low for 6 hours.

Remove from the slow cooker and use a stick blender to puree. Now I like my soups thick but if you prefer, add a little more stock at this stage until you get the consistency you desire.

Note – any leftover soup can be used to make a risotto with in the place of the stock any day you have the time and energy to stand by the stove for 30 minutes. It freezes beautifully but most vegetable soups keep in a large covered jug in the fridge extremely well for 3 days, reheating a bowlful at a time as needed.

Serve with a drizzle of cream, truffle oil or black pepper etc as liked.