Creamy mushroom soup

Wipe mushrooms with a dry cloth, never wash: the porous flesh absorbs water and refuses to brown. Slice five millimetres thick for fast even browning.

Heat three tablespoons of butter in a wide pan over high heat. Add mushrooms in a single layer, do not stir for three minutes; let the underside caramelise. Then stir and brown twelve minutes total.

Pour one litre of hot water or light beef broth into the pan, scrape the caramelised juices off the bottom. Add bay leaf, salt, black pepper. Simmer ten minutes uncovered to concentrate.

Remove the bay leaf. Blend with an immersion blender three minutes until perfectly smooth. For an extra-fine texture, pass through a fine sieve.

Off heat, stir in two-thirds of the cream and the remaining tablespoon of butter. Taste, adjust salt. The soup should coat a spoon and have an earthy depth from the long browning.

Ladle into warm bowls, dot the centre with a teaspoon of remaining cream and drag a wooden pick to make a spiral. Drizzle a thread of olive oil for a glossy finish.