Mushroom Soup with Chestnuts - made in the micro

Ingredients:
approx. 8 ozs.(225g)  Chestnut Mushrooms - remove the dry end of the stalk and chunkily chop them - no need to peel if fresh.
1 oz. (25g) of butter
1 tbls. oil - sunflower or olive
1 small onion - peeled and chopped
1 potato - peeled and chopped
1 celery stalk - peeled and chopped
1 clove of garlic - peeled and crushed or chopped
Dried or fresh Thyme
Sand and Pepper
approx. 3/4 - 1pt. hot water + stock cube or use home made stock
1/2 to 1 pack of ready prepared Chestnuts (Gourmet) 

This can all be made in the micro:
1. Place the chopped vegetables, seasoning, herbs and garlic into a large pyrex bowl with the oil and butter.  Shake the bowl so the veg are lightly coated with the fats.
2. Zap in the micro - (covered) - until the veggies are just softened
3. Add the stock - to just cover the vegetables and zap (covered) again until all the veg are well cooked through, adding the Chestnuts, which you can 'crumb' in the food processor before adding to the soup.
4. Leave to cool, and for the flavours to infuse -  then liquidise, adding more stock or a little milk/cream if necessary.
Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve with sweet or sour cream, and some finely chopped corriander, flat leaf parsley or fresh thyme leaves.

If you dont have a micro, then just saute the veg in the oil/butter, until softened, add the stock and continue to cook as above.