Step 1

Heat the oil and butter in a pan and add the unpeeled garlic cloves and the chopped onion and saute for 5 minutes

Step 2

Add the sliced mushrooms and thyme and cook for a further 10 minutes

Step 3

remove a few mushroom slices to decorate the soup and remove the garlic and pop it out of it's skin and mash the soft flesh before returning it to the pan

Step 4

Add the sherry or vermouth if you are using this and cook for 1 minute

Step 5

Pour in the vegetable stock, cover and simmer the soup for 15 minutes

Step 6

Add the cream and use a hand blender to cream the soup ready to serve

Step 7

season to taste and serve with the reserved mushrooms and fresh thyme leaves plus some coursly ground black pepper