I know many people who despise mushrooms. They won't even go near them, and the sheer thought of mushrooms sends them into a cold sweat. I think it has something to do with the fact that mushrooms thrive on decomposing matter, but such a trivial fact could never deter me from eating mushrooms. They are savory on their own, needing no meat whatsoever, and they have the power to take a meal from so-so into the umami zone! So thank you, @progressivechef for setting this week's Steemit IronChef competition ingredient as the mushroom!
For this dish, I made miso mushroom and vegetable wonton soup. I decided to venture into my first attempt at making wontons. I pulsed some dried shiitake mushrooms in the blender until they became a fine powder. I incorporated the shiitake powder into the dough of the wonton wrappers, which are a simple combination of flour, water, salt, and an egg.
Adding the mushroom powder to the wonton wrappers took the wontons to a whole new level - now the wrapper itself was loaded with that unctious mushroom flavor.
For the filling of the wontons, I sauteed finely diced crimini mushrooms with cabbage and leeks in sesame oil, fresh ginger, and soy sauce.
To wrap the wontons, I chose to use the "China Style No. 1" because I think they are really cute. A few folds and a few tucks later, and I had mushroom wontons that were ready for a steam bath.
I made a simple, but flavorful broth out of water, dashi powder, and yellow miso, and into the broth, I lightly simmered more crimini mushrooms, cabbage, leeks, and red pepper. I added additional shiitake powder to the broth which helped to thicken the broth a bit and added a ton more savory flavor.
The wontons steamed over a few inches of simmering broth, and then the dish was ready to serve! With a side of soy sauce sprinkled with mushroom powder, the dish was all set.
On a chilly Fall evening, this savory and filling miso mushroom and vegetable wonton soup was a perfect meal. The soft wontons, savory broth, and crisp-tender vegetables complemented each other so well, and the mushroom flavor was throughout the dish but did not overpower any one component of it. I'll definitely have to make this again, and next time I'll be sure to make extra wontons to freeze for another time, because we have none leftover!
Here's my proof photo for this week (You might have to squint!):
I hope you've enjoyed this recipe, and I'd love to hear your thoughts.
If you're interested in being a part of the Steemit IronChef Competition, don't forget to check out the details at @steemit-ironchef. A huge thanks to @progressivechef for coming up with this awesome way to showcase our food creations and build community with each other here on Steemit. Looking forward to continuing this competition!!
All content and images by @jaymorebeet, taken on December 5, 2017 with a Canon 7D Mark II.