Hearty Mushroom Soup

MUSHROOM BROTH PRIOR TO 45 MIN SIMMER

READY TO SERVE SOUP

This soup is a 2 stage preparation and has been described in a cookbook (Vegetable Soups with Deborah Madison's Kitchen) with too many ingredients. I have simplified it only for the purpose of highlighting the mushroom flavor in the soup.

Roasted Vegetables Preparation (30 min cooking time)

1/2 lb chopped up portobello mushrooms ( 3 mm thickness, 1 -2 cm width)

8-10 baby carrots (slice each baby carrot into 1/2 thickness and then cut pieces that are 1/3 length of baby carrot)

1 russett potato unpeeled (1 in. wedges)

1)Toss them in olive oil with salt and pepper and lay vegetables on aluminum foil in baking tray.

2)Place the baking tray in oven that is pre-heated to 425 F.

3) Turn over the pieces after 15 minutes.

4) Remove the tray out of oven after another 15 minutes.

Mushroom Soup Preparation (65 minute preparation time)

Ingredients for the Broth

1 cup shitake mushrooms

1 tablespoon butter

4 teaspoons olive oil

1 large onion chopped

1 large carrot chopped

2 celery ribs diced

1/2 lb fresh mushrooms

4 garlic cloves - smashed

herbs - 1 bay leaf, rosemary sprig

salt and freshly ground pepper

1 heaping tablespoon tomato paste

1 tablespoon flour

1 tablespoon red wine

1 tablespoon dark miso

1) Cover the dried mushrooms with 6 cups warm water and set aside.

2) Heat up olive oil in a wide soup pot and add vegetables and herbs. Cook at medium high for 15 - 20 min where vegetables are browned.

3) Season with salt and pepper.

4) Stir in tomato paste and flour and then the wine. Boil for 2 min at high heat.

5) Add the dried mushrooms with liquid and boil again.

6) Lower the heat and simmer covered for 45 minutes.

7) Strain the liquid from the vegetables.

8) Add miso to a little bit of hot broth and then return it to the pot and boil once.

9) Add the roasted vegetables.

10) Add butter to a separate pan and saute the crushed garlic in it till browned. Add the sauted garlic into the soup.

11) The soup is ready to serve.