Spicy Peanut Coconut Soup with Matsutake & Lobster mushrooms

I know I just posted a soup recipe, but I'm so happy with how this soup turned out, it hit all the right notes of my cravings, so I had to share it with the world.

My Dad and I (and others in our family) love to go to this local Vietnamese restaurant across the street from my Dad's office, and they have this peanut beef saute soup that my Dad and I adore. You're welcome to add beef if you eat meat, I just made this recipe to be vegetarian because I knew if I could make it taste good without meat, then the flavours must be good. Part of that is because of the red curry paste. Which I'm pretty sure you can easily find in the ethnic/Asian section of most grocery stores.

It's actually vegan too and gluten free as long as you use gluten free soy sauce.

It has chile peppers, lemongrass, galangal and lots of other good stuff, and it seems to last forever in the fridge. It's also a great addition to coconut thai soup and lots of other recipes. The dried wild mushrooms add a lot of flavour too, as well as nutrition as they are a source of protein, vitamin D, minerals such as zinc, calcium and b-vitamins and fiber. Maybe the zinc is why Matsutake is renowned as a libido enhancer?

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Spicy Peanut Coconut Soup with wild mushrooms

By Caitlin Beer

Serves 4

INGREDIENTS

▪︎7 grams Wildland Foods lobster mushrooms (sub shittake)

▪︎7 grams Wildland Foods pine mushrooms (Matsutake)(sub shittake)

▪︎3 cups vegetable broth or beef or duck bone broth

▪︎1 can coconut cream or coconut milk

▪︎1/2 cup smooth peanut butter

▪︎2 Tablespoons soy sauce

▪︎1 teaspoon red curry paste

▪︎2 sticks celery, thinly sliced

▪︎1/2 cup thinly sliced carrots

▪︎1 medium onion

▪︎2 cloves garlic

▪︎3 T corn or sunflower oil

▪︎1-2 teaspoon lime juice

▪︎handful bean or pea spouts or shoots (optional)

▪︎thai basil (optional)

▪︎cilantro (optional)

NOODLES

▪︎2 bunches vermicelli noodles (I used mung bean and potato starch noodles, but rice would be good too, even Ramen noodles probably)

▪︎2 cups hot water (just to rehydrate noodles, then discard)

DIRECTIONS

》 First you want to crush your dried pine mushrooms into smaller pieces, they can be a little chewy, which is actually a really nice texture that I enjoy, but I prefer smaller pieces. Easily crushed by hand if they are thin, or just leave in closed package with air pressed out and roll with jar or rolling pin.

》Then heat up your broth in medium pot and add your lobster mushrooms and dried pine mushrooms. Turn heat to low and let simmer.

》 Dice your onions, celery, carrots and garlic and add to medium pan with oil, saute 10 minutes on medium heat, stirring every few minutes.

》 Add onion mixture, coconut milk, peanut butter, red curry paste, soy sauce, and lime juice to your broth and mushrooms.

》 In separate pot or glass container, place your noodles. Pour boiling water over them and let sit a minute before straining and adding to your soup.

》 Stir well and simmer 5 minutes.

》 Serve with bean, pea sprouts, thai basil and/or cilantro! What I had on hand was pea and broccoli shoots. It's delicious even without these additions.

》Optional additions: tofu, beef, shrimp, shittake mushrooms, broccoli, cauliflower, chicken, enoki mushrooms, fresh Matsutake or lobster mushrooms

If you tried this recipe I'd love to hear what you thought about it and any variations you tried! Subscribe to our site so you don't miss out on new recipes, products and more.

Hungarian Wild Mushroom Soup

This may be my favorite soup of all time... But it's hard to say because there are so many tasty soups.

This is a smoky, creamy umami soup that satisfies my taste buds and may be slightly addictive.

Photo by Caitlin Beer

I've loved soup since I was a kid. My Mother makes the best chicken soup, but I don't think she ever made anything quite like this. Ironically, I actually used to hate mushrooms as a kid. And onions. In my defense, I was subjected to the horror of canned mushrooms, which in my humble opinion ruins the texture and taste... Now I rarely eat anything without mushrooms and onions! And garlic. Yum.

So, if you have picky kids, there is hope. Even my 12 year old nephew loves morel mushrooms. Morels have a meaty texture and flavour reminiscent of beef. Morels are a rare wild mushroom that is very difficult to cultivate because it has a special symbiotic relationship with trees, so it's usually harvested from the wild. The Latin genus is Morchella. All Morchella are edible, but there are a few look alikes (Gyromitra, Verpa, Helvella) so it's best to get your morels from a professional unless you're willing to do thorough identification research first.

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I added in the fresh button mushrooms (Agaricus mushrooms) as a filler and for some different texture. Believe it or not, store bought mushrooms originate from a common wild mushroom as well, which grows in native grass pastures. They do have some toxic look alikes though, so best to get in the store.

Morels have a lot of flavour and I think they pair quite nicely cooked with button mushrooms. Or you could omit the button mushrooms and double the morels if you're feeling really extravagant. Or try without morels and just use all button mushrooms! Let me know what variations you try in the comments below.

You may want to double this recipe and save some for later. I think it would freeze well.

Okay no more rambling, here's the delicious recipe...

Hungarian Wild Mushroom Soup

By Caitlin Beer

30 minutes

Serves 4-5

□ 2 T butter

□ 2 T sunflower oil

□ 14 grams Wildland Foods dried Morels or pidpenky (or half of each)

□ 1 cup sliced fresh button mushrooms

□ 1-2 T chopped dill (or 2 teaspoons dried)

□ 1/2 teaspoon black pepper

□ 1 teaspoon Salt

□ 2 cups broth (veggie, beef or Mushroom broth)

□ 1 cup hot water

□ 1/2 teaspoon dried nettle or parsley

□ 2 teaspoons lemon juice

□ 1/2 cup sour cream

□ 1 cup milk

□ 1 T smoked paprika (you could use regular paprika, but the smoke flavour is incredible)

□ 1 T soy sauce

□ 1 large onion diced

□ 3 cloves garlic

□ 3 Tablespoons cornstarch (mixed with a few tablespoons cold milk)

1/4 teaspoon celery seed (optional)

Directions

◇ First you want to boil 1 cup of water (I have an electric kettle) then pour over your dried morels. I place in a bowl and stack another on top to keep them submerged about 15 minutes.

◇ Then while they rehydrate, dice your onions, garlic and slice button mushrooms. I prefer my mushrooms sliced 1/8" but it's up to you.

◇ Preheat skillet and saute your onions in oil and butter for 10-15 minutes on medium heat stirring regularly. I like them somewhat caramelized.

◇ Strain your morels, saving the water from soaking. Slice morels into rings.

◇ Add morels, button mushrooms and garlic to skillet with onions and saute 5-10 minutes on medium low.

◇ Heat 2 cups broth and morel soaking water to medium pot on medium high heat.

◇ Measure your milk and then mix cornstarch in small cup with small amount of milk before adding, this makes it easier to incorporate and prevents clumping.

◇ Add soy sauce, paprika, sour cream, milk, cornstarch slurry, nettle, lemon juice, salt and pepper, and celery seed to broth.

◇ Cook on medium heat for 10 minutes, stirring regularly. This is usually when I make some garlic bread and set the table.

◇ Serve with dollop of sour cream and garnish with dill.

Let me know what you think in the comments!

Photo by David Beer

Creamy Morel Mushroom Soup

The cold clutches of winter are loosening their grip as mid February greets us, but we have just survived a brutal cold snap for the past few weeks in Manitoba. -40 degrees Celsius can be a little painful.

This comforting soup will help you cozy up, and delicious morels remind you of the promise of spring ahead. That warm sun will be on your skin once again, and those morels will be popping before you know it!

Chef Kevin Funk is a local Manitoba chef in Morden, Manitoba, Canada. Kevin provides catering and specialty pop-ups as well as cooking tutorials on YouTube, recipes and more on his website www.chefkevinfunk.com and relatable humorous Tic toc videos.

Morel mushroom soup

Recipe by Chef Kevin Funk

4-5 servings

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INGREDIENTS

• 2 teaspoons sesame oil

• 1 small or 1/2 medium onion, diced

• 1-2 celery stalks

• 1 small bunch of spinach

• 14 grams dried Wildland Food Morels, buy here

• 2 cups cremini mushrooms, sliced

• 1 cup frozen peas

• 4 cups water

• 1/2 cup cream

• 1/2 cup sour cream

• 1/8 cup white wine

• 2 T lemon juice

• 1 teaspoon garlic powder

• 1 teaspoon dried oregano

• 1 teaspoon salt

• 1/2 teaspoon pepper

• Parmesan to garnish

DIRECTIONS

》Add oil, onions, and celery to medium pot and saute until translucent.

》Deglaze with white wine.

》Add sliced cremini mushrooms. Add 2 cups water. Simmer.

》Place morels in smaller pot with 2 cups water and simmer 20 minutes.

》Meanwhile, add spinach and peas, herbs and lemon juice to your main pot.

》Strain morels (saving the broth from cooking them) and chop up (unless small enough to leave whole).

》Add broth, cream and sour cream and stir until incorporated. Simmer for a few minutes.

》Garnish with parmesan.

》Enjoy with garlic bread, biscuits or crackers and pair with white wine or cider.

Let us know what you think in the comments!

Blog post and recipe adaptation by Caitlin Beer