Mushrooms Mean Fall
Fall is mushroom season, the time when, with rain, the forest floors of Northern California come alive with fungi and foragers with baskets spread out across the landscape to gather the edible wild po...
This soup is all about the earthy flavor of shiitake mushrooms, but it relies heavily on the stock to bring out the flavor. Full of umami flavor, this soup is similar to Valerie’s Shiitake Cappuccino that I enjoyed in France.
Ingredients
For the stock
- ¼ pound cultivated white or brown mushrooms or shiitake mushrooms, coarsely chopped
- Stems from the shiitake mushrooms used for soup (below), coarsely chopped
- 2 carrots, cut into 2-inch lengths
- 1 large leek, cut into 2-inch lengths
- 1 yellow onion, quartered
- 2 whole cloves
- 3 cups water
- ½ teaspoon sea or kosher salt
For the Soup
- 3 tablespoons coconut oil
- ½ cup peeled and coarsely chopped carrot
- 1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger
- 8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, stems removed and reserved for stock and caps chopped (about 3 cups)
- 1 tablespoon canola oil
- 4 to 6 fresh chives, minced (optional)
Preparation
To make the stock, in a saucepan over medium-high heat, combine all of the ingredients and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and simmer until the vegetables have imparted their flavor to the stock, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Remove from the heat and strain through a chinoise or a colander lined with cheesecloth. Measure 2¼ cups and set aside.
To make the soup, in a large sauté pan over medium-high heat, warm the oil. When it is hot, add the carrot and ginger and sauté until the carrot pieces soften, about 3 minutes. Set aside about ¼ cup of the chopped mushrooms for garnish, then add the remaining mushrooms to the carrot mixture and sauté until lightly browned, about 1 minute. Reduce the heat to low, cover, and continue cooking for 5 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool slightly.
In a food processor, combine the mushroom-carrot mixture and the 2¼ cups stock and process until smooth, 1 to 2 minutes. Transfer the soup to a saucepan and keep warm.
Finely chop the reserved ¼ cup of chopped mushrooms. In a small sauté pan over medium heat, warm the canola oil. Add the finely chopped mushrooms and sauté, stirring frequently, until golden brown, about 2 minutes. Remove from the heat.
Reheat the soup until hot, then divide evenly among shot glasses (¼-cup capacity). Garnish each serving with 6 to 8 pieces of chive and 2 or 3 pieces of sautéed mushroom. Serve at once.
About this recipe
Recipe adapted from the Davis Farmers’ Market Cookbook by Georgeanne Brennan and Ann M. Evans.
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