Description
To simplify or keep the soup on a budget, use about 1 pound total of any type of mushrooms you like, cutting them into the specified size before roasting. Roasting the mushrooms is less work than sauteeing and really helps the already-earthy mushroom flavor shine through in the final presentation.
Ingredients
For the dashi (optional)
- Substitute 6 cups of the best quality or homemade mushroom stock you can find.
- 1 oz. (15 to 20) dried whole shiitake mushrooms (I found these at Whole Foods), cleaned with a dry pastry brush
- 1 4×4″ piece of kombu, gently brushed clean
Soup assembly
- 8 shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, cut to 1 1/2″ pieces if larger (about 4 oz.)
- 12 medium cremini mushrooms, cut to 1 1/2″ pieces if larger (12 oz.)
- Rehydrated shiitake mushrooms, from dashi (optional), cut in half if large
- 2 T olive or coconut oil
- 8 oz. rice noodles (or Asian noodles of choice)
- 1 1/2 T miso (I used darker brown miso)
- 2 t + 3 T tamari, divided
- 4 to 6 scallions, white/light green parts thinly sliced, dark green parts roughly sliced or chopped
Instructions
Dashi (optional)
- From 8 to 12 hours in advance, cover mushrooms with 3 cups filtered water. Weight down with another dish so they stay submerged. Remove mushrooms, squeeze excess liquid into the soaking liquid, and discard stems (can be saved to make stock). Reserve hydrated mushrooms for soup. Strain liquid through a fine mesh strainer, lined with a damp paper towel. Set aside.
- When ready to make soup, heat 4 cups filtered water and the kombu to a simmer in a medium to large saucepan. Just before water boils, remove kombu and discard. Add liquid from mushrooms to kombu liquid, turn off heat, and set aside for soup.
Mushroom noodle soup
- Preheat oven to 425 degrees (F). Toss mushrooms with 2 tablespoons oil and 2 teaspoons tamari in a rimmed dish, spread in an even layer, and roast about 25 minutes, stirring once, until mushrooms are tender and liquid has evaporated. If mushrooms stick to pan, use a rubber spatula to gently loosen.
- Cook noodles according to package instructions, being careful not to overcook rice noodles (check frequently). Strain and set aside, tossing with a little oil or occasionally rinsing with lukewarm water to keep from sticking together.
- Add white and light green scallions to the mushroom and kombu dashi (liquid) or 6 cups mushroom stock and bring to a simmer. In a small dish, mix miso with about 1/4 cup of the simmering broth until smooth, then add back to pot. Reduce heat to low then, add soy sauce, and keep warm.
- To serve, arrange one fourth of the noodles, roasted mushrooms, and green scallions in each of four soup bowls, then add broth to cover. Serve immediately, or store components separately for leftovers, assembling soup just before heating.
Notes
To keep prep time to a minimum; boil the noodles, chop the scallions, and season and heat the broth while the mushrooms cook. Using homemade dashi adds about 20 minutes of active prep time to the dish.
You should be able to find kombu in even a minimally stocked Asian foods section of your grocer. Ask the store about whole dried shiitakes (do not used sliced)–the ones I found weren’t with the majority of the other dried mushrooms, nor with the Asian foods. Both kombu and dried shiitakes can also be found online, and probably at any Asian specialty grocer.
- Prep Time: 5 mins
- Cook Time: 25 mins
- Category: Soup
- Cuisine: Japanese