To make the roux sauce

1. Put all the roux sauce ingredients into a pan and whisking continuously bring to the boil
2. Once thickened continue to cook for a further two minutes so the flour cooks out.

1. Clean and slice 500g mushrooms
2. Fry the mushrooms on a high heat till browned
3. Add the onions, thyme brandy or wine and lower the heat, cooking till soft
4. Fry the sliced portabella mushroom and reserve for topping finished soup
5. Add the mushroom/onion mix to the roux sauce and warm the soup through till piping hot
6. Blend with a stick blender
7. Pour into hot bowls
8. Drizzle each bowl with cream and decorate with the portabella mushroom slices
9. Serve at once with warmed bread