Fall Mushroom and Prawn Soup with Lemongrass and Ginger
Serves: 4 to 6
This pretty little concoction with its combination of classic flavors and textures is a variation on a soup I ate in several joyous establishments in Japan during my travels there. It will fill your senses with its simple perfection and glisten like a jewel at your table.
Ingredients
Preparation
NotesIngredients
- 3/4 pound mushrooms of your choice, cleaned (see note) Add to list
- 6 cups vegetable stock or water Add to list
- 1/4 cup loosely packed dulse or kombu (sea vegetables) Add to list
- 1/4 cup loosely packed bonito (dried white fish) Add to list
- 1-inch piece of ginger, sliced Add to list
- 1 4-inch piece of lemongrass, coarsely chopped Add to list
- 6 cloves garlic, chopped Add to list
- 2 green onions, coarsely chopped Add to list
- 4 to 5 cilantro sprigs Add to list
- Soy sauce, to taste Add to list
- 2 tablespoons vegetable or untoasted sesame oil Add to list
- 12 cooked prawns Add to list
- Garnish: thin strips of carrot, cilantro sprigs, thinly sliced green onions, lime wedges Add to list
Preparation
Remove the stems from the mushrooms and reserve. Slice the mushrooms.
Pour the vegetable stock or water into a saucepan and add the mushroom stems, dulse, bonito, ginger, lemongrass, half of the garlic, green onions and cilantro. Bring to a simmer and cook gently for about 10 to 15 minutes. Remove from heat and season to taste with soy sauce.
While the stock is simmering, heat a sauté pan over medium-high heat and add the oil. Stir-fry the sliced mushrooms with the remaining garlic for a scant 1 to 2 minutes, or until they are tender but not mushy. Splash the pan with a small amount of soy sauce to season the mushrooms and remove from heat.
To compose the dish
Spoon the mushrooms in the center of 4 to 6 shallow soup bowls and divide the prawns amongst the bowls, placing them around the mushrooms. Scatter or place a few carrot strips between the prawns. Strain the soup stock over the mushrooms and prawns. Garnish with thinly sliced green onions and cilantro sprigs, and serve with lime wedges if desired.
Notes
On the show we used chanterelle, shiitake, oyster and domestic mushrooms. Chanterelles and oysters are very seasonal. If you can't find them, shiitakes are my mushroom of choice for this soup.
Recipe by , PCC Chef
Source: Demonstrated on KING 5's "Gardening with Ciscoe" show, which aired on October 1, 2011.
ABOUT OUR CHEF: Lynne Vea
Lynne Vea is a graduate of the Executive Chef Program at Le Cordon Bleu, Paris and has been cooking with PCC Natural Markets since 2001. Featured on King-5’s "Gardening with Ciscoe," she demonstrates easy and delicious recipes using seasonal ingredients.
Lynne is an admired PCC Cooks instructor, teaching a variety of popular PCC Cooks classes throughout the year.
She loves to collect old cookbooks, hunt for wild berries, and cook seven-course dinners where the guests are encouraged to dance and cavort between courses.
Find more recipes from Lynne.
Comments
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Fall mushroom soup
I made this soup for dinner today after seeing it on "Gardening with Cisco" this morning. It was really good! I used chanterelles that my husband had picked in the woods near our house. The soup really showcased what he had worked so hard to harvest ! I will make it again when more mushrooms are gathered.
October 01, 2011 at 05:47 PM — Linda611 (not verified)