Mushroom Soup

Ingredients:

• Mushrooms, cleaned and sliced - 500 gr
• Rice - 100 gr
• Potatoes, peeled and cubed - 3
• Carrot, peeled and diced - 2
• Onion, finely chopped - 1
• Garlic, minced - 2 cloves
• Olive oil, divided - 4 tbsp
• Vegetable broth / Boiling water - 10 cups
• Sea salt, to taste - 1 tbsp
• Ground Black Pepper, to taste - 1 teaspoon
• Thyme and Oregano, to taste - 1 tbsp
• Bay Leaf - 1
• Fresh Parsley / Dill, for garnish (optional) - 1/2 cup

Steps:

1. Prepare all the ingredients.
2. Chop Onion, Carrots, Garlic, Potatoes and Mushrooms. Wash and rinse the Rice before using it in the soup.
3. Heat 1 tablespoon of Olive Oil in a skillet over medium-high heat. Add the sliced Mushrooms to the skillet and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are well-browned and have released their moisture. Add the garlic and cook for another minute until fragrant. Set aside.
4. In a large pot, heat the Olive Oil over medium heat. Add the Onion, Carrots, and sauté for 5-7 minutes until the onion becomes translucent and the carrots start to soften.
5. Add the Rice and cook for another 2 minutes, allowing it to toast slightly.
6. Add the cooked Mushrooms to the pot.
7. Stir in the cubed Potato and cook for an additional 2 minutes.
8. Pour in the Boiling Water ( or vegetable broth ) and add the Bay Leaf, the Thyme and Oregano. Season with Salt and Pepper to taste. Stir well and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat and let it simmer for 15 minutes, until the rice and potatoes are tender.
9. Serve the soup hot, garnished with fresh parsley if desired.