Mushroom Soup with Sherry

4 cups boiling water
2 cups dried Porcini or Shiitake mushrooms (about 45 g)
1 tbsp cornflour
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp SIDS SALT & PEPPER
2 tbsp SIDS PEPPER & GARLIC OIL
2 cups sliced shallots
1 garlic clove, minced
1 cup dry sherry
1½ kg assorted fresh mushrooms, (such as cremini, portobello, button) sliced
1½ tbsp chopped fresh thyme
⅓ cup cream

Pour 2 cups of the boiling water over the porcini mushrooms to stand 20 minutes. Drain the porcini mushrooms in a colander over a bowl, reserving the mushroom broth, then set the mushrooms aside. Stir in the cornflour, soy sauce, SIDS SALT & PEPPER and remaining 2 cups boiling water into the mushroom broth then set aside.
Heat the SIDS PEPPER & GARLIC OIL in a medium-sized nonstick frypan over medium-high. Add the shallots and garlic then cook, stirring occasionally, until the shallots are soft, 4 - 5 minutes. Add the sherry, bring to a boil, and cook for 30 seconds. Remove from the heat.
Stir together the porcini mushrooms, broth mixture, shallot mixture, fresh mushrooms and thyme in a 5-litre slow cooker. Cover and cook on HIGH until the vegetables are very tender and the flavours blend, about 4 hours. Uncover and cook until slightly thickened, about 20 minutes. Transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender. Remove the centre piece of the blender lid (to allow steam to escape) and secure the lid on the blender. Place a clean towel over the opening in the blender lid. (to avoid splatters) Blend until smooth, about 10 seconds. Return the puréed soup to the slow cooker and gently stir in the cream. Ladle the soup into bowls, and serve hot.