I like to make
today's recipe with as much a variety of the best mushrooms as possible. The different flavors and
textures breathe sensuous life into something that becomes more than a mere
bowl of soup. Fat slices of porcini rub up against nubby morels, which curl around the feathery maitake (hen-of-the-woods)... and
so on. Each mouthful contains a whole range of pleasures to be slowly savored.
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| Parma ham & ginger |
At present, true Chinese
hams cannot be purchased in the United States. Until the day arrives when this
beautiful charcuterie makes its way into our markets, substitutions will have to
do. One of my favorites is a good Parma ham or prosciutto. They go perfectly with all of
those chewy mushrooms; another possibility is Hunan-style charcuterie.
Enjoy this in cool
autumn or spring weather when the best mushrooms are on display. If none are
available, use good dried mushrooms in their stead. This is more of an outline
than a recipe, as it should celebrate the seasons and the mushrooms.
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| Luscious |
Yunnan ham and wild mushroom soup
Yěgū Yúntuĭ tāng 野菇雲腿湯
Yunnan
Serves 8
generously
2 tablespoons
rendered chicken fat
2 tablespoons
finely julienned peeled ginger
3 to 6 tablespoons
(depending upon how salty and flavorful it is) finely julienned Parma ham, prociutto, or other
dry-cured ham
6 tablespoons
Shaoxing rice wine
2 quarts chicken stock, salted or unsalted
2 cups (or so)
assorted fresh mushrooms (wild ones best), or rehydrated dried mushrooms of any kind plus their
soaking liquid
4 or more pieces
of bamboo pith fungus, soaked until soft in hot water
Sea salt to taste
Freshly-ground
black pepper
1 tablespoon sugar,
or to taste
1 teaspoon good
rice vinegar, optional
Garnish:
Garnish:
3 to 6 tablespoons finely chopped Parma ham, prociutto, or other
dry-cured ham
A few sprigs of green
onion or cilantro
1. Heat the fat in
a 4-quart pot and add the ginger. Slowly brown the ginger over medium heat and
then add the ham. Stir the julienned ham around in the fat to release its
fragrance, and then immediately pour in the rice wine, bring it to a boil, and
then add the stock. Bring the stock to a full boil and then lower it to a
simmer.
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| Use the best 'shrooms |
2. While the stock
is simmering away, clean the mushrooms. Cut them or tear them into pieces that
are bite-sized: about ¼-inch wide for porcini, morels, and other thick
mushrooms, or into separate “feathers” for maitake, oyster, and other stemmed
mushrooms. If you are using rehydrated mushrooms, cut them into slightly
smaller pieces since these will be chewier; strain their soaking liquid and add
it to the stock.
3. Add all of these mushrooms to the stock. Simmer the soup for about 20 minutes, or until the thickest mushrooms are tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and sugar. If you would like a slight edge to the flavors, stir in the rice vinegar just as you take the soup off of the heat; stir in the chopped ham, as well. Chop the green onions or cilantro and garnish the top. Serve immediately.
Tips
Bamboo pith fungus (zhusheng or "mushrooms") are only available dried. While most Chinese markets carry them, the best are found in dry-goods stores or herbal shops.
Look for places that offer them loosely packed so that you can see each piece. Bags that are tightly stuffed will often only have nice ones on the outside, while the inside will be full of broken pieces that are of little use. The absolute best ones will be around 6 inches long, white, and still a bit supple.
To prepare bamboo pith fungus, soak them in warm water until soft. Trim off the hard bases and the frilly tops. Carefully rinse the webbed but fragile lengths clean of any debris, and then cut the crosswise into pieces.
Why eat these? They have a wonderful but subtle fragrance that permeates lightly seasoned soups like this. Their texture is also delightful: slightly crunchy with the feel of raw silk rubbing against the tongue. Highly recommended.
3. Add all of these mushrooms to the stock. Simmer the soup for about 20 minutes, or until the thickest mushrooms are tender. Taste and adjust the seasoning with salt, pepper, and sugar. If you would like a slight edge to the flavors, stir in the rice vinegar just as you take the soup off of the heat; stir in the chopped ham, as well. Chop the green onions or cilantro and garnish the top. Serve immediately.
Tips
Bamboo pith fungus (zhusheng or "mushrooms") are only available dried. While most Chinese markets carry them, the best are found in dry-goods stores or herbal shops.
 |
| Packaged bamboo pith fungus |
Look for places that offer them loosely packed so that you can see each piece. Bags that are tightly stuffed will often only have nice ones on the outside, while the inside will be full of broken pieces that are of little use. The absolute best ones will be around 6 inches long, white, and still a bit supple.
To prepare bamboo pith fungus, soak them in warm water until soft. Trim off the hard bases and the frilly tops. Carefully rinse the webbed but fragile lengths clean of any debris, and then cut the crosswise into pieces.
Why eat these? They have a wonderful but subtle fragrance that permeates lightly seasoned soups like this. Their texture is also delightful: slightly crunchy with the feel of raw silk rubbing against the tongue. Highly recommended.
