Mushroom Miso Soup

Along with the fabulous hijiki salad from my last post, I made miso soup. I didn't have time, however, when putting up my last entry, to include my method for the latter, so I'm returning now to do so. Even though, I suppose, miso soup is largely a no-brainer (miso + hot water), I was really happy with the way this particular variation turned out. It is both wholesome and satisfying, healthy and an excellent comfort food. To cut down on the health factor, we had some potstickers to round out the meal. These are just the frozen kind. I can't remember the brand, but I think they're fairly ubiquitous. I really wanted to make some spinach and tempeh wontons, but I haven't yet figured out where I can buy vegan wonton wrappers. Such a simple thing, yet it continues to elude me. I did see a recipe online a few years ago for making your own wonton wrappers--apparently the silly things are just flour and water, but I have yet to summon up sufficient DIY fervor to roll out tiny little squares of dough. So we beat on, valiantly, without homemade wontons.



Mushroom Miso Soup

1 small onion, yellow or sweet
1 lb mushrooms, I used white
2 cloves garlic
4 cups water
1 vegan bouillon cube
4 collard leaves, de-stemmed and thinly sliced
3-4 T red miso (or white or brown or whichever kind you're lucky enough to have on hand)
a few pinches cayenne pepper

In a medium saucepan or small stock pot, saute the onion and garlic in a bit of oil until softened and translucent. Lately, I've been cooking my onions for long periods of time at low heat. The idea is to push them to the edge of caramelization--if not right bloody over into full-blown, lightly browned sweetness! Depending on how much time you have, try to give them at least five minutes or so. Add the sliced mushrooms and saute again, just until the mushrooms start to look like they're softening and releasing their water. Does that sound dirty? Add the four cups of water, and then toss in the bouillon cube. Bring to a low simmer, and let it go for about 10 minutes. Turn the heat way down and add the collard greens and miso. As I've noted before, once adding the miso, do not let the soup return to a boil. The water should be more than hot enough to render the ribbons of collard greens tender and sweet. Add the pinch or two of cayenne, depending on how spicy you like it. Try the leftover soup cold for lunch.