Umami rich japanese inspired shiitake soup
I absolutely love this hearty, savory, rich shiitake soup and it’s incredibly easy to make
Shiitake (from Japanese; shii-golden oak- take - mushroom) mushrooms are some of the most popular exotic mushrooms on the market. They are well loved for their meaty texture and full flavor. They are also amazing for your immune system.
So when temperatures drop and our immune systems become more vulnerable, it makes a lot of sense to prepare a tasty dish with some fresh Lentinula edodes. This dish is perfect for just those circumstances, it’s so warming and comforting and you’ll whip it up in minutes. It also keeps well, so you can have some on hand for those dark, cold and rainy dutch winter nights.
Quick and reliable to fruit
Shiitake are native to east Asia where they grow on dead trees in the wild and are cultivated at a massive scale. They are a great mushroom tp grow that -once the lengthy incubation period is done- are very quick and reliable to fruit.
Although we grow some pretty great shiitake in our converted shipping containers, the best specimens are actually cultivated on logs. We do have plans to start up outdoor growing for several species so stick around for that!
“if your mushrooms have long stems, cut them off and use them to make mushroom stock”
The shiitake stems can be quite chewy, not everyone enjoyes that. If your mushrooms have long stems, cut them off and use them to make mushroom stock. Your mushrooms should be fresh and tender, not wrinkly and dryish.
The miso adds a Wonderfully rich flavor to the soup and also gives it more texture. These days you can likely get miso paste at Albert Heijn. Otherwise pick it up at your local Toko / Asian store.
For the mushroom stock, feel free to use mushroom stock cubes of make your own mushroom stock.
Add in as many vegetables as you like. I you’re like me and enjoy some heat, sprinkle some chili flakes or add some chilis. But even plain old black pepper is a killer add-on to this go to dish.
Perfect, fresh shiitake mushrooms
Recipe for 2 big or 4 smaller portions
Ingredients
300 g fresh shiitake mushrooms
1 medium onion
2 garlic cloves, minced
15 grams olive oil or butter
5 ml soy sauce
15 g /1 teaspoon miso paste
1 liter vegetable or mushroom stock
Freshly ground black pepper
Handful of chopped spring onions
Optional veggies like bok choy, carrot etc.
Instructions
Prepare the Shiitake Mushrooms
Slice the shiitake thinly
Cook the onion and mushrooms
Heat the olive oil or butter in a medium soup pot over medium heat.
Add the onion, Sauté for 5 minutes until softened and fragrant.
Stir in the shiitake slices and soy sauce. Cook for 5–7 minutes until the mushrooms release their moisture and become tender.
Ad the veggies if using
Build the Soup Base
Add the stock. Stir in the miso paste until dissolved.
bring the soup to a gentle simmer.
Simmer
Let the soup simmer for 10 minutes or so, to allow flavors to meld.
Serve and Garnish
Serve in a bowl with plenty of freshly ground black peper