Hearty Vegan Multi-Mushroom Soup
From Shabbat by Adeena Sussman
From Shabbat by Adeena Sussman, published by Avery, an imprint of Penguin Publishing Group, a division of Penguin Random House, LLC. Copyright 2023
Hearty Vegan Multi-Mushroom Soup
Yield: 4 to 6 servings
Ingredients:
2 pounds button mushrooms, baby bellas, or a combination, stems removed and discarded, caps cleaned, and roughly chopped (about 12 cups chopped)
1 pound large portobello mushroom caps (about 5), cleaned, gills removed with a spoon, and coarsely chopped (6 cups)
6 tablespoons olive oil
1 large onion, diced (2 cups)
1 tablespoon picked fresh thyme leaves, plus more finely chopped for garnish
3 garlic cloves, minced
6 ounces fresh shiitake mushroom caps, sliced (2 cups)
4 cups vegetable or mushroom broth*
1 tablespoon blond miso
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed
1/2 teaspoon smoked paprika
1/4 teaspoon dried red pepper flakes, plus more as needed
Procedure:
In a food processor and working in batches, combine the button and portobello mushrooms and pulse until finely processed but not liquidy, 15 to 20 pulses, scraping down the mixture in between pulses.
In a large (at least 6-quart) pot, heat 3 tablespoons of the oil over medium heat. Add the onions and thyme and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly golden, 8 to 9 minutes. Add the garlic and cook for 1 additional minute. Add the pulsed mushrooms and 1 1/2 cups of the sliced shiitakes and cook, stirring, until the mushrooms wilt and begin to release their liquid, about 5 minutes.
Pour in the broth, miso, soy sauce, salt, pepper, smoked paprika, and red pepper flakes, bring to a boil, reduce the heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring, until the soup thickens, the liquid reduces, and the mushrooms darken, 15 to 20 minutes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer 2 cups of the soup to a blender and puree, then stir it back into the soup.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 3 tablespoons oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining 1/2 cup shiitakes, and cook, stirring as little as possible, until they become browned and crispy, 4 to 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
Divide the soup among bowls and top with shiitakes, thyme, and, if desired, more red pepper flakes.
Notes and Suggestions:
To make mushroom broth, rehydrate 1 ounce dried mushrooms of your choice in 4 cups boiling water for 30 minutes. Strain the broth before you add it to the pot, discard any sand, then squeeze any liquid from the mushrooms, chop them, and add to the soup.