Hot & Spicy Root Soup with Wild Mushrooms

thelatebloomer | January 9, 2017 | Reply

Today I improvised a hot & spicy root soup with wild mushrooms. Just when you think you have NOTHING from which to make a dish! My frig was nearly empty. And it’s actually quite tasty! Straight from the earth. You can make a vegan version with vegetable stock or the stock from the rehydrated mushrooms, or just water. I used organic, low-sodium chicken broth. Carrots would be a great addition, but I was out.

My first thought was a veggie soup, with the half of a cauliflower in the frig, but when I realized how many roots I had, I wanted to see if I could make an all-root soup tasty. I have to admit the mushrooms give it a much-needed alternate texture. The soup was half-made, with celery root (a little goes a long way, like turmeric), beet, and parsnip, then I remembered my sunchokes I haven’t gotten around to trying yet this year. I went out and dug up two big ones where they are stored in soil in a pot. I cleaned them up with one of my homegrown loofa sponges (watch my loofa episode here.)

Two homegrown sunchokes – Learn about sunchokes here!

Hot & Spicy Root Soup with Wild Mushrooms

Clean sunchokes

Kaye’s Root Soup with Wild Mushrooms

~ Ingredients ~

2 scallions, sliced diagonally

1 qt. broth of your choice

1/4 large celery root, cut in chunks

1 medium-sized parsnip, cut in chunks

1 large beet, cut in chunks

2 large sunchokes (Jerusalem Artichokes), cut in chunks

1 slice of ginger

1 slice of turmeric

1 oz. dried wild mushrooms

fresh cilantro leaves

1 orange Thai chili, halved and seeded

spices

salt & black cracked pepper

~ Directions ~

Rehydrate dried mushrooms with hot water, broth or even wine. Cover with liquid, stir, and set aside for 15 minutes.

Pour broth into pot on medium heat. Add scallions. Clean root vegetables. Cut roots into chunks and add as you go. Add ginger and turmeric. Lift mushrooms and add to soup. Pour mushroom liquid through a fine strainer or sieve and add to soup. Add chili. (If you like your soup hotter cut it up and leave it in. But, I take the large pieces out after it cooks.) Add spices of your choice. I used ajwain (sent to me from Mumbai Balcony Gardener in India), a sprinkle of Indian curry spices, thyme, coriander and dried shallot. Add salt to taste and crack in fresh black pepper. Simmer till roots and mushrooms are tender. Drop in fresh cilantro leaves just before serving.

I don’t know what’s come over me, publishing all these recipes lately. I am a professed 20-minute cook! But, I hope you give them a try and let me know if you enjoy! – Kaye

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