Soothing Broth with Mushrooms & Wild Rice

for the broth

Makes 2 quarts plus 1 pint

FOR THE STOCK

• mushroom stems from ½ lb mushrooms: any mix of: chestnut, crimini, shiitake, or oyster mushrooms

• 2 or 3-inch segment of ginger, thinly sliced 

• Root ends and tips from 6 onions, plus any outer layers (not the skin)

• peels and ends from 1 bunch carrots

• 4-6 parsley stems

• ends from ½ bunch celery

• Woody ends from 1 bunch of asparagus

• ½ tsp coriander seeds

• ½ tsp peppercorns

• 1 tbsp kosher salt

• 1 dried chili

• 1 bay leaf

• 10-12 cups water

DIRECTIONS

1. Place all ingredients in a slow cooker with the dial on low setting. Place lid on and cook for two hours. Remove the lid, taste, and adjust seasoning as needed.

2. Use tongs to transfer solids to a colander, placed over a bowl. Ladle stock through a sieve placed over a jam funnel set on a quart sized ball jar. When one jar is full, move to filling the next, and so on, until there is no more stock to strain.

3. When the solids are cool enough to handle, squeeze any liquids from them and discard for compost. Add the remaining liquid to the jars and cool to room temperature before sealing and refrigerating.

4. This stock is excellent to enhance the flavor of anything that requires liquid: from rice to barley or quinoa, beans, stews, ragù, risotto, soups, and more. Stock can be poured into ice cube trays for quick use or smaller portions, or into 1 cup plastic containers for easy stacking in the freezer. Stock may be stored, frozen up to 6 months, or in the refrigerator for up to 5 days.

Soothing Broth with Mushrooms & Wild Rice

FOR THE RICE

• 1/2 cup wild rice

• 1 cup turkey, chicken, or mushroom stock

• 2 bay leaves

FOR THE GREMOLATA

• 2 tbsp chopped fresh parsley

• Finely grated zest from 1 lemon

• 1 tsp finely chopped pickled pearl onions or ramps

• 1 tbsp Herbs de Provence oil

FOR THE SOUP

• 4 cups mushroom stock

• 1 onion, peeled, ends trimmed and thinly sliced

• 3 small carrots

• 1 lb mixed mushrooms brushed of any dirt, larger mushrooms sliced, small ones left whole: chestnut, oyster, maitake shiitake, or other meaty mushrooms

• Extra virgin olive oil, for sautéing 

• garlic oil, to drizzle

• 1/4 tsp cayenne

• 1/4 tsp nutmeg

• S&p

• 2 small slices baguette per serving for crostini, to garnish

DIRECTIONS

1. Bring rice, bay leaves, and broth to a boil in a medium saucepan. Cover and lower to a simmer. Cook for 30 minutes or until liquid is fully absorbed. Turn the heat off, leaving the lid on, as you prepare the other elements.

2. Get a cast iron skillet hot, set over medium-high heat. Drizzle olive oil and sauté onions for 3 minutes, lowering heat to medium after stirring. Add carrots and cook for 3-5 more minutes, stirring occasionally.  

3. Add mushrooms, nutmeg, cayenne, and a drizzle of garlic oil and stir to combine. Sauté for 5-7 minutes, until mushrooms soften and begin to brown. Add stock, bring to a boil, then lower to simmer, 5 minutes.

4. Drizzle a small bit of olive oil onto baguette slices and season with kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper. Toast in a 300° toaster oven 3-5 minutes, or until golden. Set crostini aside to cool on a wire rack. Assemble gremolata ingredients in a small bowl, taste and adjust seasoning as needed. 

5. Ladle mushroom broth into bowls, adding a few tablespoons of wild rice to each serving. Arrange crostini, topped with gremolata, and add a final few grinds of cracked pepper and drizzle of HDP oil to garnish.