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Creamy Wild Mushroom Soup
Recipe and photos by

The Albion River Inn
Mendocino Coast, California

www.albionriverinn.com

That is the view from my favorite table at the Albion River Inn on the spectacular coast of Mendocino.  Need I say more?  I'll give you a moment to enjoy the view . . .

Whenever I return home to Mendocino, I have some rituals that I simply must do.  .  .

1. Must drink Navarro and Golden Eye wines. 
2. Must eat fresh sourdough bread. 
3. Must have seafood chowder in town. 

And, all of those items are just for lunch :-) 

And... Must have dinner at The Albion River Inn.  Those are some of my homecoming "must do's."

The Albion is located right on the ocean and is both a wonderful inn with seaside rooms as well as an outstanding restaurant.  I will say aside from the award-winning culinary delights, I have a sentimental attachment to the Inn as it's owned by a family of a very close friend of mine.  And most of my high school friends worked there at some point.  One of them, Chef Stephen Smith, is now the Executive Chef and has developed incredible menus for the Albion.

I have a few favorite dishes that are also on that "Must do" list.  This soup is one of them.  In fact, any soup they make is wonderful.  If you ever are fortunate enough to visit the Mendocino Coast - please add the Albion River Inn to your "must do's" and I promise you'll thank me for the recommendation!

Roasted Garlic Bulbs: Cut tops off garlic bulbs so cloves are exposed, place in oven proof dish and drizzle with olive oil. Roast at 400 ° for 20-25 minutes or until light brown & tender.  Set aside until cool enough to handle then remove cloves from skins by squeezing or peeling.

METHOD: 

Step 1:  Squeeze most the liquid out of the Porcini Mushrooms. Set aside and strain the liquid and reserve.

Step 2:  In a thick-bottomed soup pot heat olive oil until hot. Add the onion, leek, fennel, carrot, and Shiitake & Porcini mushrooms. Stir, reduce heat to medium-low, cover and “sweat” for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Step 3:  Uncover and add sherry wine and peeled roasted garlic cloves. Increase heat to medium-high. Cook uncovered until almost dry, about 4 to 5 minutes. Add stock or water, reserved Porcini mushroom liquid, white truffle oil, and half & half, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer for 45 minutes.

Step 4:  When all ingredients are tender, add the basil. Purée with a hand-held blender until smooth. Add salt and pepper to taste. If using a food processor, or blender, add small amounts of soup, cover food processor or blender top with a thick towel, and pulse several times before turning on high so hot soup won’t splash out. 

Serve this savory and full flavored soup garnished with croutons & chopped parsley or basil, soup hot crusty bread and a fresh green salad.    

Recipe by Chef Lanvert

Rue Saint Jacques Restaurant • San Francisco • California

www.sfbistro.com

If you're looking for a special dining experience on your next visit to San Francisco, look no further than Rue Saint Jacques.  Considered by many to be the best French restaurant in San Francisco, this small French bistro will make you feel like you've been transported to France.

Chef Eric Lanvert, Chef de cuisine and owner has also cooked for such famed restaurants as Rue Saint Jacques in Paris, the Savoy in London and Cote Sud in San Francisco.  The atmosphere is modern yet cozy . . . and the menu is a highly sophisticated and expansive one offering French cuisine with just a touch of California flair.

I'm honored that Chef Lanvert allowed us to post this delicate yet easy to prepare recipe.

Ingredients:

• about 1.5 LB of fresh Asparagus
• 6 cups of water
• 200 gm of butter (7/8 of a cup)
• salt & pepper
• truffle oil (either white or black)
• meat from 1 large crab
• some blanched asparagus stems

Boil the asparagus in the water with the salt and pepper.  Bring to a boil and cook until tender, but without discoloring.  Add the butter and blend.  Sieve through a Chinois and adjust seasoning.

Serve hot in a boil where you predispose some crab meat.  Drizzle with truffle oil and top with some of the asparagus stems.

"Lemongrass Tea" Soup with Chicken Dumplings, Mango, and Glass Noodles

Exclusive Recipe by Chef Rima Olvera of "Duet"

www.rimaolvera.com

Follow Rima's travels and updates on her blog . . . www.rimaolvera.com/blog

I'm so fortunate to know so many talented chefs.  But, when it comes to truly unique recipes that combine the ultimate ingredients with flavor and beauty, Chef Rima Olvera is the master.  She is considered a celebrity in many countries and has just launched an inventive new television show in Europe and Asia called "Duet."  The premise is compelling.  Rima travels around the world meeting some of the finest chefs from the countries she visits.  She immerses herself in their culture and she teams up with the world's top chefs to prepare wonderful dishes together.  Although the show is airing around the world, it is in English and many US fans are hopeful that one of our food networks will pick it up.... yes, Food Network... that was a hint.

Rima has graciously decided to share her recipes with us.  This is a tremendous honor as her creations are one of a kind.  Like many master chefs, these quantities should be thought of as guidelines, not exact measurements.  As I always say.... think of this as a template and make the recipe your own as you prepare it.  Thank you Rima for sharing this and we are already excited to see what else you may have in store for us next!

Ingredients for chicken dumplings: serves 4

• 1 pound ground fresh chicken breast meat
• 1 fresh garlic clove- crushed
• 1 tb. grated fresh ginger
• ½ bunch green onions, sliced
• 2 cloves fresh garlic, grated
• ½ tsp. Sesame oil
• 2 Tb. soy sauce
• 2 Tb. sugar
• 2+ tsp. Salt
• 1 egg white
• 1 pinch crushed red chiles

Ingredients for lemongrass tea soup:

• 6 cups chicken stock
• 4  fresh lemongrass stalks- bruised with a rolling pin or bottle
• ½ cup Mirin (sweet sake, available at Asian markets) or to taste
• ¼ cup rice vinegar
• 2 stalks celery- sliced
• 1 star anise
• ½ yellow onion- sliced
• 1 tb. grated fresh ginger
• salt to taste

Ingredients for garnishing soup:

• ½ package glass noodles,(bean thread noodles) soaked til clear, then drained
• 1 fresh mango, cut in small cubes
• 1 big handful fresh basil leaves (generous amount per bowl)
• 1 big handful fresh cilantro leaves(" ")
• 1 big handful beansprouts- per bowl
• 1  bunch green onions, thinly sliced- white and light green parts only- generous spoonful per bowl
• limes or lemons, cut in halves- squeeze and drop a half into each bowl.
• Fresh sliced green jalapenos or bird chiles- to taste

to assemble:

process chicken dumpling ingredients in food processor to smooth.

In large soup pot, add all soup ingredients, simmer on low heat for 30 minutes, let sit for few minutes, then strain.

Bring strained stock back to boil, drop small  walnut-size balls of the chicken dumpling mixture into the boiling stock, cook the balls for about 4 minutes or until cooked through.

Divide the glass noodles into 4 big bowls, divide the chicken balls into the bowls, pour the hot broth over the noodles, add mango cubes, fresh herbs, and lemon half and serve immediately.

NOTES:

The soup broth can be made 2 days in advance, and the chicken dumplings can also be made in advance and cooked in some regular chicken soup, then taken out and kept in a covered container in the fridge and then re-heated before serving in the lemongrass soup as noted in recipe.

Duarte's Famous Artichoke Soup

"It mighta' choked Arti but it ain't gonna choke me" -Buckwheat

When I was a child, my parents decided to venture into the business of growing and selling Christmas trees.  They opened the San Gregorio Christmas Tree Farm in the early 1970's.  For many years, hundreds of people would come from the San Francisco Bay Area to visit our farm.  It was a nice way to grow up... watching kids and their parents wander through nearly 60 acres of Monterey Pine and Douglas Fir seeking the perfect tree to cut down and take home with them.  San Gregorio is a very small hamlet just south of Half Moon Bay.  The coastline is dotted with small communities that seem to be stuck in a time warp.  Many of the hard working cattle ranching families have lived in this area for generations and helped to shape the history rich coast.

Just down the highway from San Gregorio is the town of Pescadero.  In addition to its beautiful scenery, Pescadero is known for a small restaurant called Duarte's Tavern.  The Duartes were Portuguese immigrants and in 1894 they settled in Pescadero and paid $12.00 in gold for what is now Duarte's Tavern.  The family has been running it using the same recipes and fresh coastal ingredients ever since.

www.duartestavern.com

When I was a child, I had the pleasure of going to Duarte's many times for their very famous artichoke soup, crab Cioppino followed by olallieberry pie.   Emma Duarte or "Grandma" as everyone called her, would always make me feel so special when she fussed over me during our regular visits.  She was such an institution to this wonderfully interesting part of California, I feel very priviledged that I was able to know her.

Photo of Emma Duarte's Olallieberry Pie

When I started looking for their soup recipes, I found numerous versions on the internet.  So, I called Duarte's with what I felt were the closest recipes and they walked me through the process.  Since they have been making this for generations, the recipe isn't a scientific formula but requires an instinct and "a little of this and a little of that"  In fact, Emma never wrote down any of her recipes but rather passed them down to each generation through lots of practice in the kitchen.  I can't promise this is exact.. but it will be good and very close.

Tips:

Using only fresh artichokes (never canned) clean them well and remove all fuzz. Trim the green off around the bottom. As soon as you finish cleaning each one, drop it in water with lemon in it.  When you have enough, cook them in hot olive oil al dente. Add a little salt and pepper when you begin cooking. Drain.

It's very important to sautee the artichokes in olive oil to preserve it's color and flavor.  Don't completely cook, just until they are Al Dente.  Over cooking can make the artichokes gray and mushy in your soup.

Place the artichokes in a blender or food processor with Organic (or homemade stock) chicken broth.  Add garlic and saute' in olive oil for just a minute or two.  Thicken with cream  and corn starch (mix those two first than add to thicken).  Add a some butter...at least 1/4 stick.  .

Don't let the soup get too light or white in color.  Try to keep it green.  The result is a bright beautiful light jade green soup with darker green flecks in it.

Approximate proportions and steps:

1. About one cup of chunks of fresh artichoke hearts (maybe four large/jumbo sized bottoms)
2. Lemon in water (used in preparation to keep them from turning brown)
3. Three tablespoons good quality, fresh extra virgin olive oil
4. Cook al dente, maybe ten to fifteen minutes, add a smashed garlic for the last two minutes
5. Save out one quarter to one half of an artichoke bottom to use as garnish
6. Add one cup chicken broth to artichokes and garlic
7. Blend
8. Mix one tablespoon of cornstarch with one cup of milk or half and half; add more cornstarch if you like thicker soup or cream if you like richer soup
9. Put the contents of the blender and the milk/cornstarch mixture in a large saucepan
10. Stir over low heat, constantly scraping the bottom, until it boils
11. Boil one minute, remove from heat
12. Swirl in one or more tablespoons of butter
13. Adjust salt, do not add more chicken broth as it will cover the lovely vegetable flavor
14. Grind some pepper over it, garnish with reserved diced fried artichoke

Island Style Gazpacho

Living in the Boulder Colorado area I am very spoiled by wonderful grocery and specialty food stores.  This includes a fabulous Whole Foods that is so popular it is about to be expanded to nearly double its current size.  This interesting twist on Gazpacho came was inspired by the Whole Foods deli and it is wonderful on a warm day.  Try them with grilled prawns or baby lobster tails.

Ingredients

2 cups high quality tomato juice

1 1/2 cups fresh pineapple juice

1 champagne mango, peeled and coarsely chopped

1 1/4 cups fresh chopped pineapple

1 small hot house cucumber, peeled, seeded and finely chopped

1/2 cup finely chopped red bell pepper

1/2 cup finely chopped green bell pepper

1/3 cup finely chopped red onion

1/3 cup finely chopped cilantro

3 tablespoons lime juice

1/2 teaspoon lime zest

1/2 teaspoon sea salt

1 teaspoon hot sauce

Method

Combine the tomato juice, pineapple juice, mango and pineapple in a blender and pulse 5 to 8 times, or until just combined; the mixture should be slightly chunky. Transfer pineapple mixture to a large non-metallic bowl. Stir in cucumbers, bell peppers, onions, cilantro, lime juice, zest, salt and hot sauce. Cover and refrigerate for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Ladle gazpacho into tall high ball or martini glasses and serve.

Bowl of Sunshine Soup - Ginger, Butternut Orange

This fresh and wonderful recipe was provided by Chef David Wells...

also known as "Grandma Dave."

www.grandmadave.com

I continue to be amazed by my good friend David Well's refreshing, nutritional and delicious creations.  This morning I was struggling with what to post as I've been neglecting this website for the last couple weeks.  He read my mind and sent me this wonderful recipe.  I love the name and look forward to including this in my portfolio of family favorites.  Please excuse the stock image... a real photo will be added as soon as I make a batch!

Some Nutritional Benefits:

High in powerful antioxidants: Vitamins A (beta carotene), C. Low calorie source. A great potassium and folate source. High in fiber. Excellent for improving circulation, and relieving nausea and indigestion. Bright visual color is appealing and stimulating.

Yield: 10 (12 oz.) servings

Prep time: 45 minutes

Cooking time: approx. 2 hours

Ingredients:

• 1 TB.  olive oil
• 1 large onion, sliced
• 1/4 cup ginger, peeled and sliced
• 2-4 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
• 1 cup rice vinegar or sake
• 1 lg. butternut squash, peeled seeded and rough cut
• 3 quarts H20
• 3 TB. orange zest (orange part of skin only)
• 1/2 bunch cilantro, chopped
• 1/2 bunch scallions, thinly sliced on bias (angle)
• Salt and pepper to taste

Method:

Heat soup pot on medium heat w/olive oil until smoking.

Sautee onions, garlic, and ginger for 2 to 3 minutes until translucent.

Add rice wine and simmer for 2-3 minutes.

Add butternut squash and 2 quarts of H20.

Simmer slowly for 2 hours.

Ladle contents into a blender and puree.

CAUTION: Always be very careful, pureeing hot food in as contents may erupt. You may want to remove the top and cover with a plate.  Always leave some space for heat to escape.

If needed, you can adjust consistency w/remaining quart of H20.

Return pureed mixture to rinsed pot, heat and simmer.

Add cilantro, orange zest, and scallions.

Season w/salt and pepper and serve.

Recipe and Photo by Chef David Wells

www.grandmadave.com

When you grow up on the coast, enjoying a great seafood chowder is part of the lifestyle.  The expectation that it isn't just good, but exceptional goes with the territory.  Several of my high school friends went on to become very accomplished chefs.  It's not surprising as growing up in the wine country and by the sea can be very inspirational.  One of those chefs also happens to be one of my favorite people from my time in Mendocino . . . David Wells.  He grew up in one of the best kitchens on the coast and in my opinion was destined to be the incredible chef and person he is today.  In addition to guiding the menus of 4-star restaurants, David has also cooked for many celebrities and leading corporations in California.  And in recent years, he started his own company - Wholearth Spice Co. which makes the highest quality marinades and spices on the market (www.wholearthspice.com.)  Needless to say, when I asked him to share his favorite technique for Seafood Chowder, I knew I would get a highly qualified recipe!  I know that this method will not disappoint my fellow chowder snobs . . .  Bon Appetite!

Prep time: 1 hour + or -

Cooking time: 1.5 hours

Ingredients:

• 1 pound apple smoked bacon diced
• ½ cup flour+ or -
• 1 bulb finely chopped garlic
• 1 medium yellow Onion, finely chopped
• 2 medium, carrots, peeled and small diced
• 3 stalks celery, small diced
• 1 bunch scallions, finely chopped, using white part only
• 2 tablespoons Italian Spice Blend*
• 2 cups (16 oz) pale dry sherry
• 2 cups (16 oz) clam juice or halibut stock
• 2 medium Russet Potatoes, peeled and small diced
• 8 ounce medium size prawns, peeled, de-veined and small diced
• 8 ounces Sea Scallops, hinge removed and small diced
• 8 ounces clam meat
• 8 ounces Halibut, Snapper or white fish, small diced
• 3 tablespoons parsley, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon tarragon, finely chopped
• 2 tablespoons chives, finely chopped
• 3 cups (24 oz) soy or rice milk (Optional: half and half or cream for a rich version)
• Sea salt  to taste
• *We recommend Wholearth Spice Italy blend for best results

Method:

1. In eight quart pot, render bacon until golden brown and crispy
2. Drain off bacon fat, measure ¾ cup to add back to pot.
3. Add flour, you may need more depending on fat content of the bacon, (roux should be at least as thick as peanut butter at this point, maybe a little thicker)
4. Add garlic, onions, carrots, celery, scallion white, and sauté for 5 min. until soft
5. Deglaze with Pale Dry Sherry and reduce by half.
6. Add clam juice and bring up to simmer. Skim foam off the top
7. Add Italy spice blend if desired.
8. Add potatoes and simmer until tender. May need to adjust with stock or H20.
9. Simmer gently for 20 min.
10. Remove 2-3 cups of soup liquid into separate pot and cook Seafood separately
11. Add cream or milk as desired and herbs
12. Season with Kosher (or sea) salt, and fresh ground black pepper to taste.
13. Bring up to simmer and let sit for 10 minutes before serving

Recipes and photos reprinted with permission:

Sue Doeden’s All About Food Blog

http://www.areavoices.com/sdoeden/

In her own words, from All About Food Blog:

There are two things in my world that tell me spring is officially here. One, the call of the loons wake me from my morning slumber as they float on the river just outside my window. That just happened Wednesday morning. Two, the small juicy yellow-skinned mangoes are ready to purchase by the case at my favorite little Asian market in Fargo. Done. Spring is here.

This year the mangoes are from Mexico and are called Adolfo (Ataulfo). I've seen some that look similar that are called Champagne mangoes. All I know for sure is that these small mangoes are the sweetest and juiciest I've ever tasted.

If the mangoes you bring home from the store look like the ones pictured above, let them sit out at room temperatue until the skins get all wrinkled with a few little brown spots. Then you will know the mangoes are sweet and ready to eat.

I decided to prepare a savory mango soup for a Caribbean-themed dinner I was planning to attend. To add some coconut flavor to the finished soup, I tried to recreate a coconut custard I recently tasted.

While I was working in Minneapolis last week, I had the opportunity to have dinner at Heidi's, a cozy little restaurant near 50th and Penn. The food was fantastic. I was especially smitten by my entree. Sauteed halibut on a Haupia cake was that evening's special. The haupia cake was made of coconut custard that had been cut into a plank, coated with Panko and fried.

I wanted some of that coconut custard to top my hot mango soup.

I cooked up some custard using coconut milk, coconut cream and a little curry paste for some kick, thickening the mixture with cornstarch.

The mango soup is very easy to make, but the real key is to use the ripest, sweetest and juiciest mangoes you can get your hands on. I've had an opened container of tamarind paste/concentrate in my refrigerator for ages and am always trying to think of ways to use it up. It's very tart, so 1 teaspoon in this soup is just right. It balances so nicely with the sweet mangoes.

Top each bowl of hot soup with a small scoop of Coconut Cream Custard. Garnish with a curl of lime. Serve. And then, just listen to all those satisfied ooohs and aaaahs and sighs.

It's a little bit sweet, a little bit spicy.

At the Caribbean dinner it will be served just before Stuffed Pork Tenderloin with Black Bean Salsa and Curried Citrus Rice, all prepared by our host. I'll be sure to give you a report on the whole meal.

I plan to make the soup again while my favorite mangoes are still available and serve it with some spiced and grilled shrimp.

Coconut Cream Custard

• 1 1/2 cups water, divided
• 8 ounces cornstarch
• 1 (14-ounce) can coconut milk (not the Lite style)
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 of a 16-ounce can of Coco Casa Coconut Cream
• 1 teaspoon curry paste

Using a fork, mix cornstarch with 1 cup of water, stirring to dissolve cornstarch. Set aside.

In a medium saucepot, mix coconut milk, sugar and remining 1/2 cup of water. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat. Pour cornstarch mixture into the hot liquid, stirring constantly with a fork or wire whisk. When mixture is quite smooth, return to heat and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens. Remove from heat and stir in cream of coconut and curry paste. Set aside while preparing cooling dish.

Line a 9-inch square baking dish with parchment paper or waxed paper. Pour coconut custard into lined dish. Press a piece of waxed paper over the top of the custard so it is completely sealed. Chill in refrigerator until firm.

Custard can be made the day before and kept in the refrigerator until time to serve the soup.

Smooth and Savory Mango Soup with a Coconut Cream Dollop

• 5 medium-sized white onions, chopped
• 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter
• 6 very ripe Adolfo (Ataulfo) mangoes, peeled, seed removed, chopped
• 1 serrano pepper, seeded, minced
• 4 cups chicken broth
• 1 teaspoon tamarind paste
• 1 teaspoon coarse salt
• 1/2 teaspoon ground white pepper
• Lime zest for garnish, if desired

In a soup pot, melt butter. Saute chopped onions in butter until tender but not brown. Add chopped mangoes and minced serrano. Stir and cook for a couple of minutes. Add chicken broth. Bring soup to a simmer. Cover pot and simmer for about 30 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in tamarind paste, salt and pepper.

Puree soup in blender in several small batches. I always cover the lid of the blender with my kitchen towel before I turn it on, just in case that hot soup spurts out of the top.

To serve, ladle hot soup into serving bowls. Place a small scoop of Coconut Cream Custard on each serving. Garnish with a curl of lime zest, if desired.

Vegetable-Leek Beef Barley Soup

Today is April 18th and it snowed 3 feet at our home yesterday.  It's cold and has been either raining or snowing most of the day.  A hearty soup was in order for this Spring storm. My husband loves beef and barley soup, so I made this today and it turned out quite well!  Enjoy...

• 3.5 lbs boneless chuck roast, trimmed of fat and cubed 1/2 inch 
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Pat of butter
• 3 carrots, sliced
• 3 celery stalks, sliced
• 1 leek, chopped
• 1 yellow onion, chopped
• 2 cups, crimini mushrooms, sliced (optional)
• 1 red potato (optional, more if you love potatoes) cubed 1/2 inch
• 5 garlic cloves, minced
• 3/4 cup - dry red wine
• 1 28 oz can - diced organic tomatoes
• 3/4 cup  pearled barley
• 4 cups organic chicken broth
• 4 cups organic beef broth
• 2 tbsp fresh chopped thyme
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 teaspoon Ancho chile powder
• salt and pepper
• 1/4 cup fresh chopped flat leaf parsley

Heat large skillet on stovetop.  Pat beef cubes very dry (they will brown easier if dry on a pre-heated skillet)  Once skillet is hot, add olive oil (should be shimmering and lightly smoking)  Add beef and brown quickly on all sides.  Brown in two batches so that beef isn't crowded during browning - add more olive oil if needed.  Place browned beef in slow-cooker.  

Add butter to same skillet.  The skillet should have remnants and browned bits from browning the beef.  Add onions, carrots, celery and leeks.  Saute until soft (about 7-8 minutes) Add garlic and saute for 1 minute.  Add red wine.  Scrap up all browned bits from bottom of skillet.  Pour sauteed vegetables in slow cooker with beef.  If  adding mushrooms, use the same pan to saute' mushrooms until soft and juices are rendered (about 10 minutes) then add to slow cooker.

Add tomatoes (with juices), pearled barley, thyme, broths and bay leaf to slow cooker.  Set to cook for 7-8 hours on low.  Cook until beef is very tender.  Add chopped parsley 20 minutes before serving.

Mushroom Barley Soup

Reprinted with Permission: By Caron Golden (www.sandiegofoodstuff.com)

(In her own words from her blog www.sandiegofoodstuff.com)

I've been making this soup for years, just grabbing items in the refrigerator as they inspired me. It was only when I made a batch for a friend who had just had a baby and then she requested the recipe that I finally wrote something up. It's still subject to what I may have on hand but that's the beauty of soup, isn't it. Usually, I use a combination of fresh shitake and crimini mushrooms as well as Swiss chard or kale. Today, I had several shitakes but I also decided to use a package each of the brown and white beech mushrooms and the maitake.

The beech mushrooms, known in Japan as Buna shimeji (brown) and Bunapi™ (white), are stunningly beautiful. They have little fragrance and pose elegantly from the large base they cluster on.

The brown beech are widely considered the most "gourmet" of the oyster-style mushrooms. Both beech varieties (in the wild they grow on wood, often beech trees -- hence the name) are a little sweet, a little nutty and perfect for soups, sauces and stir frying.

Maitaki mushrooms are much more "fungus-y." They look like something right out of a deep dark chilly forest.

And, in fact, in nature they're found on dead or dying deciduous trees in northern temperate forests. These mushrooms have the robust, earthy smell and flavor you'd expect from a fleshy brown fungus. Stir-fry them, saute them, bake them or use them for tempura. I'll play around with them some more later, but they seemed like a good addition to the soup today.

Now, many people like to use the dried shitakes found in Asian markets. I always have a bag on hand, but I love using them fresh. These were so plump and large, they called out to me at Mitsuwa. Here are the last of the bunch, along with pearl barley and a head of garlic also being used in today's soup.

Now to the soup.  I like to add beef, in the form of boneless short ribs, to it, which means I also use beef stock as the base. But the beef is, of course, optional. You could add chicken or turkey or just keep it vegetarian, adding a soup stock most appropriate to what you're doing. There's no real need to add the greens, but I like to. Certainly other root vegetables would work here as well. My basics are carrots and onions but parsnips and/or turnips would add a nice sweetness to the soup. And, note, with these mushrooms, I sliced the shitakes but the others I simply separated from one another.

Mushroom Barley Soup

Ingredients

• 2 cups of mushrooms, sliced
• 2 large carrots, grated
• 1 large onion, chopped
• 2 cloves of minced garlic
• 3/4 cup of pearl barley
• 3 cups or so of Swiss chard or kale
• Olive oil
• Salt
• Pepper
• 1 quart of beef stock (if using meat, otherwise you can use chicken or vegetable stock)
• A couple of splashes of good dry sherry or cognac
• Optional: one pound of boneless beef short ribs, cut into cubes

Okay, get out a large stock pot. If you're using the beef, heat the pot, add enough oil to cover the bottom, let that heat for a minute till it shimmers and then add the beef. Let the pieces brown on all sides and then remove them and drain the fat from the pot.

Add a splash more olive oil and then add the onions and garlic. Sauté on low heat until the onions turn translucent and then just a little golden.

Then start adding everything else: the mushrooms, carrots and Swiss chard first, then the beef, then the pearl barley. Then add the stock. If one quart isn't enough to cover the contents, I add water, then a couple of splashes of sherry or cognac. Finally, add some salt and pepper to taste.

Stir it to mix it well. Then bring it to a boil and skim the fat. Turn down the heat to simmer and cover the pot. I let it cook a couple of hours and then adjust the salt and pepper.

It freezes really well, too.

That's it. Adjust the amounts if it doesn't look right to you. Add other ingredients you might like.

Serves 6

S'Chee - Russian Cabbage Soup

S'Chee (I've been pronouncing this "Shay" my whole life and was just corrected by a nice reader who said it's actually "Shchee") is a very traditional Russian cabbage soup.  The recipes vary and have been passed from family to family in different regions for generations.  This is the recipe my family has used for decades (and no we aren't Russian :)

Making this soup is a process and takes the better part of a day.  Plan to prepare it slowly, without pressure and enjoy the process.  You won't believe the flavor... It makes enough for about 8-10 very healthy servings.  We used to make it and freeze smaller servings to enjoy overtime.   Once you've made this, this soup will become part of your family's winter tradition too.

Ingredients, divided by steps:

3 pounds fresh beef brisket

4 pounds beef marrow bones, cracked

1 large yellow onion

3 carrots

1 parsnip

1 turnip

8 cups boiling water

3 pounds, fresh tomatoes - peeled, chopped (or 1 large can sold pack tomatoes - drained)

1.5 tablespoons of tomato paste

Herb bunch: 6 sprigs parsley, 3 leeks (white parts), 3 celery tops, 2 bay leaves, 5 sprigs of fresh dill - tie together

2 tablespoons of sea salt

1 cup finely chopped onions

1/2 cup finely chopped celery

1/2 cup finely chopped carrots

3 garlic cloves, diced

1 pound sauerkraut

7 cups of shredded cabbage 

4 tablespoons sugar

3 tablespoons - fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup finely chopped fresh dill

1 pint sour cream

Preheat the oven to 500 degrees.  In a large, shallow roasting pan arrange the meat, bones and whole/peeled onion, carrots, parsnip and turnip (all in one layer in the pan.)  Roast for 20 minutes on the middle shelf of the oven, turning the meat and vegetables occasionally so they brown on all sides.  Then transfer each piece to a large soup stockpot and put remaining fat in roasting pan in a small bowl to be saved for later.

Into the roasting pan - pour the 8 cups of water.  With a metal spatula or large spoon, scrape all the remnants at the bottom of the pan and mix into the water.  Empty this mixture into the soup stockpot.  If the meat and vegetables are not covered - keep adding a bit more until they are.  Just don't add too much of this water or the soup base will be diluted.

Adjust the temperature so the kettle is cooking over a medium heat.  As it's cooking, use a slotted spoon to skim off the foam and scum that appears to rise to the surface.  This will happen for awhile... keep skimming. When the stock reaches a boil, turn the heat down to barely a simmer... don't let it boil.  Skim again and then add the tomatoes, tomato paste, herb bunch and salt.  Partially cover the stockpot and simmer very slowly for about 2 hours, skimming consistently during this time.

While the stock is simmering, use your largest frying pan... heat 5-6 tablespoons of the beef fat you reserved earlier.  Add the chopped onions, celery and carrots.  Cook them over low heat, stirring occasionally until they barely color.  Just before you remove them, add the garlic. . . You don't want to cook the garlic too long or it will burn and lose flavor.  This process will take about 15 minutes.

Wash sauerkraut in a sieve under cold water.  This will ensure the brine in the sauerkraut doesn't overwhelm the flavors in the stock.  Squeeze all the water out of the kraut -one handful at a time and chop it up. Add sauerkraut to the same frying pan with the other vegetables.  Cook thoroughly for a minute or two on medium heat - then lower the heat and blend with other vegetables.  Cook until the cabbage begins to wilt. At that point, reduce heat again and partially cover the pan.  Add a spoonful of the stock from the stockpot every 8 minutes or so to moisten the vegetables, and let them slowly braise for about 30 minutes.  Remove the pan from the heat and put it aside, partially covered.

When the soup in the stockpot has cooked for about 2 hours, with a slotted spoon - remove all the vegetables and the herb bunch and throw them away.  All of their flavor is now in the stock and they are no longer needed.  Add back to the stock - the braised cabbage and vegetables.  Stir in the sugar and lemon juice and bring the soup to a boil... then reduce the heat to a low simmer.  Cook, partially covered, for another 1.5 hours.

At this point, the S'Chee should be done. However, if you feel the stock hasn't reached it's full flavor but the brisket is tender - temporarily remove the brisket and continue cooking the stock.  The brisket should be very tender and just falling apart... just don't overcook the meat or it will lose this tenderness.

When you feel the soup is done... turn off the heat and remove all the marrow bones.  Just make sure all there isn't any marrow left sticking to the bone - all of it should be in the soup, so scrape it out if you need to and add it to the soup.  This is what gives the stock its rich flavor.  Let the soup rest awhile so that the fat will rise to the top.  Skim as much of it as you can and reheat the soup again before serving.

Pour soup into large soup plates and float a tablespoon of sour cream on each serving.  If you like to serve from a tureen, pour soup into a heated tureen first and pour the 1/4 chopped dill on the top before ladling the soup into bowls.  Serve with dark bread or pumpernickel.

This soup is so flavorful and hearty, it is a meal in itself....

Roasted Winter Squash Soup

Reprinted with Permission: By Caron Golden (www.sandiegofoodstuff.com)

(In her own words from her blog www.sandiegofoodstuff)

I've been making winter squash soup for years and years but usually I peel the squash, cut it up, get rid of the seeds and cook it in stock before pureeing it. That's perfectly fine, but I wanted to find out if roasting the vegetables would bring out a more intense, earthy flavor.

So, instead of peeling the squash, I simply cut them into pieces, saving the seeds for toasting later, and also cut up a sweet potato and several carrots. I love roasted garlic, so I used the peeled cloves of half a head. All this went on a large baking sheet, tossed with olive oil, dried thyme and kosher salt. Ordinarily I would also include pepper but I'm giving some of this to my mom, who can't eat pepper. I then poured homemade chicken stock and Manzanilla sherry over the vegetables. The vegetables went into a pre-heated 400-degree oven and roasted for about 45 minutes, until they were brown, soft and caramelized.

Once the vegetables cool a bit, you can easily pull the skin off the squash. While they were cooling, I pulled out my favorite blue Le Creuset dutch oven and added some olive oil. Once that had heated up, I added chopped leeks, minced garlic and grated ginger, sauteeing until they were just starting to turn golden. With the squash peeled, I added the roasted vegetables to the pot, incorporating them into the leek mixture. Then I added a quart of chicken stock and brought the soup to a slow boil. I turned down the heat and covered the pot, letting the soup simmer for about 15 minutes.

At that point, it's time to pull out the immersion blender and puree the soup. I like to leave it just a little chunky. Taste and adjust the seasonings, perhaps even add some water or more sherry if it's too thick.

And, remember those squash seeds? Don't let them go to waste. Rinse them thoroughly in a colander, removing as much of the stringy pulp as you can. Let them dry, then toss them in a bowl with just enough olive oil to coat them and perhaps some garlic salt (you could use any spice or herb, actually).  Spread them on a baking sheet and toast them for about 30 minutes at 350 degrees, periodically stirring them around. You want them nice and golden brown.

These are great for snacking, but, of course, I'm serving them on top of my soup, along with some sour cream (no time to run out for creme fraiche) and fresh thyme leaves from my garden. Thanks to my friend Angela, who is stopping by for dinner, I'll have a warm sourdough baguette from Bread & Cie to dunk with, along with butter from Spring Hill Jersey Cheese.

HERE IS THE RECIPE:

Pre-heat oven to 400 degrees.

Step 1:

1 kabocha squash (about 3 lbs.)

1 acorn squash (about 1.5 lbs.)

1 medium-size sweet potato

5 carrots

½ head of garlic, peel cloves but leave whole

½ cup chicken stock

½ cup sherry (I used Manzanilla sherry)

¼ cup olive oil

1 tsp. dried thyme

½ tsp. kosher salt

¼ tsp freshly ground pepper (optional)

Cut squashes in half and spoon out seeds. Save seeds for later. Cut squash halves into quarters. Put on large roasting pan or large heavy sheet pan. Wash and cut carrots into 1-inch pieces. Add to squash pieces. Wash and cut sweet potato into large chunks and add to pan. Toss in garlic cloves. Drizzle olive oil on vegetables. Sprinkle thyme, salt and pepper on vegetables. Toss mixture with hands to coat vegetables. Add stock and sherry. Roast for 45 minutes or until the vegetables are soft and caramelizing, stirring about halfway through. When vegetables are out of the oven, let them cool, then pull off skin from squash pieces and discard.

Step 2:

2 leeks, trimmed of green, cleaned, and chopped

5 cloves garlic, minced

½-inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated

¼ cup olive oil

1 quart chicken stock

Roasted vegetables from Step 1 above

1 tbl. fresh whole thyme leaves

Crème fraiche or sour cream

*Roasted squash seeds

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Rinse seeds thoroughly in colander, removing stringy pulp. Let dry. Toss seeds in a bowl with just enough olive oil to coat along with a dash of garlic salt. Spread seeds in a single layer on an oiled baking sheet. Roast for about 30 minutes, stirring every 10 minutes, until golden brown. Great snacking but if you can hold out, sprinkle on the soup.