Cream of Mushroom Soup

• 1L (4 cups) reduced-fat milk
• 2 brown onions, finely chopped
• 1/2 cup chopped fresh continental parsley leaves and stems
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2 bay leaves
• Salt & ground black pepper, to taste
• 300g button mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 300g Swiss brown mushrooms, thinly sliced
• 125ml (1/2 cup) thickened reduced-fat cream
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• 1/3 cup chopped fresh continental parsley, extra

1. Combine the milk, onions, parsley, garlic, bay leaves, salt and pepper in a medium saucepan. Bring to the boil over medium-high heat. Reduce heat to low and cook, partially covered, stirring often, for 15 minutes.
2. Stir in the mushrooms and cook, partially covered, for a further 20 minutes or until they are soft. Taste and adjust the seasoning, if necessary. Discard the bay leaves.
3. Stir the cream into the soup. Transfer 1/3 of the soup to a blender and puree until smooth. Transfer to a heatproof bowl and repeat with the remaining soup. Return the soup to the saucepan and heat over low heat until warmed through. Do not allow the soup to boil. Serve sprinkled with pepper and the extra parsley.