Triple Mushroom Soup Is Tasty Addition to Chinese New Year’s Menu

Chinese New Year festivities, which take place this Saturday, are an excellent opportunity for people worldwide to experience the flavor of Chinese cuisine.

Triple Mushroom Soup, adapted from a recipe in Martin Yan’s popular “A Wok for All Seasons” (Doubleday: 1988), blends the rich flavor of chicken broth with button, oyster and dried black mushrooms. Garnish with cilantro leaves and additional mushrooms for eye appeal.

TRIPLE MUSHROOM SOUP

8 dried black mushrooms, about 1 ounce

2 tablespoons butter or margarine

1 small onion, finely chopped

1/4 pound fresh button mushrooms, sliced

1/4 pound oyster mushrooms, sliced

1 cup half and half

2 (14 1/2-ounce) cans chicken broth

1 tablespoon oyster sauce

Fresh oyster mushrooms or enoki mushrooms

Cilantro leaves

Soak black mushrooms in warm water to cover 30 minutes. Drain. Cut off and discard stems and thinly slice caps. Set aside.

Heat butter in 3-quart saucepan over medium heat. Cook onion until tender. Add black mushrooms, sliced button and oyster mushrooms and cook 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and liquid has evaporated. Add half and half, chicken broth and oyster sauce. Heat to boil.

Blend half of soup in covered blender or food processor, until smooth. Return to saucepan and repeat with remaining soup. Heat through. Garnish with additional mushrooms and cilantro. Makes 6 servings.