Learn about Martha's Vineyard Mycological, Chilmark's own shiitake mushroom growing operation in Shiitake Mushrooms: Turning Wood Into Food
This is a favorite soup, good anytime of the year, and comes together very quickly. The ramen, or whatever pasta you choose, keeps best when cooked on the side and drizzled with sesame oil to keep strands from sticking. Try this dish with meaty and flavorful MVM shiitake mushrooms. Serves 4 to 6.
Ingredients
2 Tbsp. dark sesame oil, coconut or olive oil, divided
1 whole leek, cut in half lengthwise, rinsed and sliced
1 ½ cups fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, sliced
2-3 tsp. fresh grated ginger; a microplane grater works nicely
7 cups chicken stock or homemade mushroom stock,* or water
1 carrot, peeled, thinly sliced into diagonal slices and cut into matchsticks
2 cups kale or baby kale, stemmed and thinly sliced
1 cup tofu, cut into small cubes
1 (6 to 8 oz.) package of noodles – fresh Chinese noodles, ramen, udon or your favorite Asian noodle
2 Tbsp. soy sauce, or more to taste
½ tsp. sriracha or other hot sauce
2 limes, quartered
Directions
- In a soup pot, sauté leek and mushrooms in 1 tablespoon of the oil, stirring often. After 3 to 4 minutes, add ginger.
- When ginger is fragrant, add mushrooms, chicken stock or water and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to a simmer, add the carrots, kale and tofu, if using, and cook for 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, cook the noodles al dente in a large pot of salted water according to package directions. Drain, and shake strainer until all the steam has been released so noodles don’t continue to cook or get sticky. Drizzle with the other 1 tablespoon dark sesame (or other) oil to help flavor and keep them separate. Set aside.
- After 10 minutes or when vegetables are cooked, season the soup with the soy sauce and sriracha to taste. Place the noodles into bowls and ladle the soup over the noodles. Place wedges of lime on a plate and pass around the table to squeeze into the soup.
*Note: To make mushroom stock: Soak 1/4 to 1/2 cup of dried MVM shiitake or porcini mushrooms in 7 cups of boiled water to flavor. Strain liquid. You can finely chop some of the mushrooms to use in the soup, along with the fresh mushrooms.
