Double Mushroom Soup With Soba Noodles
Porcini or other mushroom powder (available from online sources such as ) adds rich earthiness to this vegetarian soup. If you have dried mushrooms instead, you can use a dedicated spice grinder or a mini-food processor to grind them into powder. You can also substitute water that you’ve used for soaking and rehydrating dried mushrooms; just make sure to put it through a fine strainer before use. From Food editor Joe Yonan. Makes 3 or 4 servings.
Ingredients
6 cups water
4 ounces dried buckwheat soba noodles
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
8 ounces cremini mushrooms, briefly rinsed, stemmed and cut into 1/2-inch pieces
4 whole scallions, trimmed and cut on the diagonal into
1/4-inch slices
Sea salt
1 tablespoon porcini powder (see headnote)
Directions
Bring the water to a boil in a large saucepan over high heat. Add the soba noodles; reduce the heat to medium or medium-low to maintain a low boil. Cook for about 5 minutes, until the noodles are just starting to become tender but still have a slight bite, stirring occasionally to prevent them from clumping.
Meanwhile, heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat until the oil shimmers. Add the mushrooms and half of the scallions; cook until the mushrooms have exuded their juices and have started to become tender, about 4 minutes. Add salt to taste.
Remove from the heat.
When the soba noodles are tender, whisk in the porcini powder and add the mushroom mixture, including any liquid in the skillet. Cook, with the liquid gently bubbling, for 2 or 3 minutes to make sure the porcini powder has dissolved and the mushrooms are heated through.
Remove from the heat, add salt to taste, then ladle out a single portion. Sprinkle the remaining scallions on top, and eat.
The remaining portions can be refrigerated in an airtight container for up to a week. Freezing the soup is not recommended, as it will make the soba noodles mushy.
Nutrition per serving (based on 4): 150 calories, 5 g protein, 25 g carbohydrates, 4 g fat, 1 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 80 mg sodium, 2 g dietary fiber, 2 g sugar
Ginger-Packed Carrot Soup
This soup starts with a quick version of dashi, a Japanese broth made from seaweed and bonito flakes. You can substitute vegetable broth. From Food editor Joe Yonan. Makes 3 or 4 servings.
Ingredients
4 strips wakame seaweed, such as Eden brand
6 cups cold water
1/2 cup lightly packed bonito flakes, such as Eden brand
1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
1 small yellow onion, chopped (about 1 cup)
1 3-inch piece peeled ginger root, finely chopped or grated (about 2 tablespoons)
1 pound carrots, trimmed and coarsely grated
1 to 2 teaspoon unseasoned rice vinegar (may substitute white vinegar)
Sea salt
1/4 cup roasted pumpkin seeds, or raw unsalted pumpkin seeds, toasted (see NOTE)
Directions
Combine the seaweed and water in a large saucepan; bring to a boil over high heat. Use tongs to immediately fish out the seaweed, holding it over the pan to let the excess liquid drip off, and transfer it to a bowl. Let dry and reserve for another use.
Add the bonito flakes to the liquid in the saucepan; remove the pan from the heat. Let the mixture steep, creating a broth, until the flakes sink to the bottom, then pour it through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, pressing on the bonito flakes to extract as much liquid as possible. Discard the bonito flakes. Rinse and dry the saucepan.
Heat the oil in the same saucepan over medium-high heat until the oil starts to shimmer. Add the onion and ginger; cook for about 3 minutes, stirring occasionally, until the onion starts to soften. Stir in the carrots and strained broth; bring to a boil, then reduce the heat to medium, cover and cook until the carrots are tender, about 12 minutes.
Use an immersion (stick) blender to puree to form a smooth soup. (Alternatively, transfer to a blender and puree, making sure to remove the center knob in the lid and holding a dish towel over it to avoid splattering, then return to the saucepan to keep warm.) Add the rice vinegar and salt to taste.
Ladle out enough for one portion and garnish with a tablespoon of the toasted pumpkin seeds. Reserve the remaining seeds for other servings of soup.
Divide the remaining soup among 3 freezer-safe containers. Cool, then freeze for up to several months, or refrigerate for up to a week.
NOTE: To toast pumpkin seeds, heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add the seeds. Toast, shaking the skillet frequently to prevent burning, until the seeds pop and brown, about 5 minutes. Immediately transfer to a bowl to cool.
Per serving (based on 4): 160 calories, 6 g protein, 15 g carbohydrates, 10 g fat, 2 g saturated fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 160 mg sodium, 4 g dietary fiber, 6 g sugar
