Alisa Fleming, www.GoDairyFree.org ~ The mercury is creeping up quickly, yet oddly enough, my craving for soup seems to be heightening.  It seems I am not alone in my mixed up appetite, as one of the featured recipes in the June 2008 issue of Foods Matter is a rich and creamy mushroom soup.  This particular recipe hints at the flavors of summer with a coconut milk base and a good dose of lemon for a refreshing tang, but it is still hard to escape the comfort food factor involved in this relatively hearty soup.  I do recommend that even the coconut averse give this one a try.  When used in savor applications, coconut milk is surprisingly sedated.  Ah yes, onto the wheat-, gluten-, corn-, soy-, dairy-, egg-, and nut-free, vegan recipe ... 

Mushroom and Coconut Milk Soup

Foods Matter, June 2008

Ingredients:

• 6 Tablespoons Olive Oil
• 6 Small Leeks, trimmed and sliced finely
• 12oz Chestnut, White Button, or Cremini Mushrooms, chopped small
• 2 1/2 cups Regular Coconut Milk
• 2 1/2 cups Gluten/Wheat-Free Vegetable Stock
• Sea Salt
• Freshly Ground Black Pepper
• Juice of 1–2 Lemons
• 4oz Oyster or Shitake Mushrooms, sliced
• Extra 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil

Preparation:

Heat the oil in a heavy pan and add the leeks. Sautée gently for 2–3 minutes, then add the chopped mushrooms. Continue to cook gently, uncovered for a further 10 minutes.

Add the coconut milk and stock. Bring to the boil then reduce the heat and simmer for approximately 20 minutes.

Purée in a liquidiser or food processor then return to the pan and season to taste with the salt, pepper and lemon juice.

When ready to serve, heat the extra oil in a pan and briskly fry the sliced oyster or shitake mushrooms.

Reheat the soup and serve with the extra mushrooms scattered over the top.

SERVES 6 – PER PORTION
201cals – 7g protein
16g total fat – 5g sat / 10g mono / 1g poly
8g carbohydrate of which 6g sugar
2.5g fibre – 327mg sodium / 0.8g salt
18mg calcium
GOOD SOURCE OF: Vitamin B1, B6, folate & copper