So I went to the Farmer's Market this past weekend in search of Chicken of the Woods mushrooms. Sadly, there were none. But I found these…
Lobster mushrooms! Oh my. I hadn't ever had them, have you? They are so-named because of their obvious resemblance to cooked lobster. Granted, they don't taste exactly like lobster but put them in a bisque, add some sea vegetables, and you can magically transform them into something quite spectacular.
I am so very fortunate to live in an area where these grow wild and so are available fresh this time of year. But if you can't find them fresh, most grocery stores carry them dried. Or you can order them online dried, too. Simply soak them for a few hours to rehydrate before use.
Bisques were always a favorite of mine. But they are usually laden with artery-clogging, heavy cream. Cashews to the rescue! This soup is very rich because of the cashews but what a fantastic treat for company or a special occasion!
Ingredients:
- 10 oz. lobster mushroom
- ½ cup diced onion
- 3 cloves crushed garlic
- 2 TBS tomato paste
- 2 tsp paprika
- 1 tsp dried thyme
- 1 tsp kelp granules
- ½ tsp ground black pepper, plus more for garnish
- 1 tsp sriracha or other hot sauce
- 1 cup raw cashews
- 3 cups water
- ½ cup cooking sherry or white wine
- chopped chives for garnish
Directions:
- Soak the mushrooms in pure water for about 15 minutes, then gently wipe with a paper towel to remove any dirt particles. Discard any soggy or discolored portions. Cut into ½ inch slices.
- Water sauté the onion, garlic and mushrooms until the onions are translucent.
- Add the paprika, thyme, kelp and pepper and stir well to combine.
- Add the wine and cook over medium heat to evaporate the alcohol (about 5 minutes).
- Blend the cashews with one cup of water in a high powered blender until smooth. Add the remaining water and blend again until smooth.
- Add this to the pot with the hot sauce and tomato paste.
- Simmer for about 20 minutes, uncovered, to soften the mushrooms. The mixture will thicken a lot as it cooks. Add more water if you like, to reach your desired consistency.
- Serve with chopped chives and a twist of freshly ground black pepper.
Makes one quart. Serves 4 as an appetizer or 2 as a main dish. Enjoy!
Healthy trails,
