Double Mushroom Soup (non-dairy)

Masa and I loved this soup. It was really creamy and flavorful.

Double Mushroom Soup

(Makes 4 servings, recipe adapted by Kalyn of Kalyn's Kitchen from Anthony Bourdain's Mushroom Soup recipe on Serious Eats.) Click here for her post.

1 cup dried mushrooms (I used dried shitakes)
2 cup boiling water
3 T olive oil (more or less, depending on your pan and whether you're using the butter)
2 tsp. butter (I used half butter and half olive oil)
1 large onion, cut into thin half-slices
12 oz. fresh mushroom, thickly sliced (I used enoki mushrooms)
4 cups chicken stock
1 tsp. dried parsley (I skipped this)
salt and fresh ground black pepper to taste
2 T good quality balsamic vinegar, for drizzling over soup when you serve it

Bring 2 cups water to a boil, then put dried mushrooms into a plastic bowl and pour boiling water over. Let mushrooms soak 30 minutes, while you prep other ingredients.

Peel onion and cut in half lengthwise, then cut each half into thin slices. Wash mushrooms, drain in colander, and then cut into thick slices. Heat 2 T olive oil (plus 1 tsp. butter if you're using it) in the bottom of a heavy soup pot big enough to hold all the soup. Saute onions about about five minutes, until they're well softened but not browned. Add 1 more T olive oil if you think you need it (plus 1 tsp. more butter if you're using it). Add sliced fresh mushrooms and saute about 8 minutes, until mushrooms have released all their liquid and it has mostly been evaporated.

Add dried mushrooms, mushrooms soaking water (strained through cheesecloth or a coffee filter if it needs it), chicken stock, and dried or fresh parsley. Bring soup to a very gentle simmer and cook uncovered for about one hour. After an hour (when soup should have reduced by at least 1/4) taste for flavor, and add salt and fresh ground black pepper as needed. If the soup doesn't seem flavorful enough, cook a bit longer to reduce a little more. When soup has a good mushroom flavor, puree either by using an immersion blender to puree soup in the pot, or by carefully removing hot soup to a food processor or regular blender to puree. (Be very careful if using food processor or blender. Puree in batches, and don't overfill the container.)

Serve hot (reheat if needed after pureeing in food processor or blender). Drizzle a little good quality balsamic vinegar over each bowl of soup as you serve it.

Stuffed Zucchini with Ham and Mushrooms Recipe

4 medium sized zucchini (at least 1/2 pound each) OR 3 large zucchini (3/4 pound each) OR 1 jumbo zucchini (2 pounds)
4 Tbsp butter, divided
1 medium onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
10 ounces of fresh mushrooms, sliced
1/2 cup finely chopped ham
2 teaspoons finely chopped parsley
1/2 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Salt, pepper, and cayenne to taste
1/3 cup bread crumbs
1/3 cup grated gruyere or Parmesan cheese

1 Preheat oven to 350°F. Wash and scrub the zucchini; split each in half lengthwise. Scoop out the seeds and pulp, leaving shells about 1/3-inch to 1/2-inch thick.

2 Steam the zucchini halves until almost tender, about 8-12 minutes, depending on the size of the zucchini. Note that for a jumbo zucchini, you'll need to get a little creative with the steaming, as the halves won't fit in a normal steamer. I steamed mine in a fish poacher. You could put a large zucchini on a rack in a roasting pan over half and inch of boiling water, cover it with aluminum foil and cook it in a hot oven until almost tender.

3 While the zucchini is steaming, melt 3 Tbsp of butter in a large sauté pan, add the chopped onions and sliced mushrooms, sauté until soft. Stir in the ham, parsley, Worcestershire sauce. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and cayenne. Pile the stuffing into well-drained zucchini shells.

4 Mix the bread crumbs and grated cheese together and sprinkle over the stuffed zucchini. Melt 1 Tbsp of butter and drip over the bread crumbs. Place the zucchini boats in a greased baking pan; bake at 350°F until toasted on top and heated through, 20-30 minutes.

Serves 4.

Cabbage and Mushroom Galette with Horseradish Sauce

Cabbage and Mushroom Galette with Horseradish Sauce
Filling adapted from Vegetarian Cooking for Everyone; Galette dough is an old favorite

For the pastry
1 1/4 cups all-purpose flour
1/4 teaspoon salt
8 tablespoons (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into
pieces
1/4 cup sour cream
2 teaspoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup ice water

*You could use premade pastry dough if you like

For the filling
2 tablespoons butter
1 large onion, finely diced
4 ounces fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems discarded, caps thinly diced
1 teaspoon chopped thyme or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 teaspoon chopped tarragon or 1/2 teaspoon dried
1 tablespoon chopped dill or 1 teaspoon dried
6 cups thinly sliced cabbage, preferably Savoy, or 4 cups cabbage plus 2 cups other greens, such as beet, chard, or kale
salt and freshly milled pepper
1/4 cup chopped parsley
1 hard-cooked egg, chopped
1/4 cup sour cream or yogurt
1 teaspoon tarragon vinegar
2 tablespoons melted butter

For the horseradish sauce
1/4 cup prepared horseradish
1 cup yogurt or sour cream

1. Make pastry: In a bowl, combine the flour and salt. Place the butter in another bowl. Place both bowls in the freezer for 1 hour. Remove the bowls from the freezer and make a well in the center of the flour. Add the butter to the well and, using a pastry blender, cut it in until the mixture resembles coarse meal. Make another well in the center. In a small bowl, whisk together the sour cream, lemon juice and water and add half of this mixture to the well. With your fingertips, mix in the liquid until large lumps form. Remove the large lumps and repeat with the remaining liquid and flour-butter mixture. Pat the lumps into a ball; do not overwork the dough. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 hour.

2. Prepare the filling: Heat the butter in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onion, mushrooms, and herbs and cook until softened, about 10 minutes. Add the cabbage, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook slowly until the cabbage is tender, 15 to 20 minutes, turning it occasionally. Add more liquid. When tender, uncover and raise the heat to evaporate any excess moisture. The mixture should be fairly dry. Stir in the parsley, egg, and sour cream. Season with vinegar and taste for salt and pepper.

3. Assemble galette: Preheat the oven to 400» F. Roll the dough into a large thin circle and set it on the back of a sheet pan or cookie sheet. The edges will hang over the sides. Add the filling, making a mound 7 to 8 inches across, then fold the edges over and brush with the melted butter. Pour any extra butter into the vegetables. Bake until browned, 25 to 30 minutes. While it is baking, mix the horseradish and cream to form a sauce, and season to taste. When galette is done, carefully slide it onto a serving plate. Serve with the horseradish sauce on the side.

http://smittenkitchen.com/2008/10/cabbage-and-mushroom-galette/#more-1011