Mushroom and Pancetta Soup Recipe
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Inspired by the simple yet satisfying soups common in Japanese cuisine, this recipe uses some of our homemade pancetta for an untraditional but appetizing twist.
What to buy: Dried shiitake mushrooms are available in most gourmet grocery stores. If you can’t find them, go ahead and substitute any combination of dried cremini, porcini, or oyster mushrooms.
Sake can be found at most gourmet grocery stores and high-end liquor stores. A dry sake is best here, but you can substitute mirin (rice wine) if you can’t locate sake. However the soup will be slightly sweeter than intended.
If you can’t find pancetta, you can substitute good-quality bacon. Or leave it out, add more mushrooms and a bit of soy, and make it vegetarian!
Look for sesame oil and chile-garlic sauce in the Asian section of your supermarket. We prefer chile-garlic sauce made by Huy Fong Foods (it’s got a rooster on the jar!).
Game plan: For a slacker solution, chop up fresh mushrooms and soak them in the broth-and-sake mixture, but be aware that the flavor won’t be as complex as when using dried mushrooms.
This recipe was featured as part of our How to Make Pancetta story.
- 2 ounces dried shiitake mushrooms
- 4 cups (1 quart) low-sodium vegetable broth
- 1/2 cup dry sake
- 1/2 pound pancetta, small dice
- 8 ounces fresh spinach, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons dark sesame oil
- 2 tablespoons chile-garlic sauce
- 2 scallions, ends trimmed and thinly sliced, for garnish
- Combine mushrooms, 1 cup of the vegetable broth, and sake in a medium bowl and set aside for 30 minutes until mushrooms are reconstituted.
- Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat and cook pancetta until golden brown and crisp, about 5 to 7 minutes. Remove pancetta with a slotted spoon and drain on paper towels.
- Combine remaining 3 cups vegetable broth and 2 cups water in a medium pot over medium heat. Once simmering, add mushroom mixture (liquid too), pancetta, and spinach. Stir in sesame oil and chile-garlic sauce and adjust seasoning to taste. Garnish with scallions and serve.
Beverage pairing: A good food-and-wine-pairing rule of thumb is the more complex the dish, the simpler the wine. Such is the case with this savory, spicy, nuanced soup. A very light (almost rose-colored) red served with a slight chill would be a great choice here. Try a Schiava from northern Italy, such as the Tiefenbrunner Schiava.
Tofu is also a good substitute for the pancetta for vegetarians -- of course, be sure to add extra tamari / soy sauce too to compensate for lack of satl.
~H.C.
http://la-oc-foodie.blogspot.com
foodwich...
how about a good turkey bacon? that's what i'll be trying...
This soup is amazing! Even with curry paste as a last minute sub for chili paste - plus a bit of honey - its delicious. And very easy to make.
thank you regan b sounds good. cant wait to make the soup. we eat lots of soup/salad so new recipes are always needed - to prevent the monotony of repeats - you understand !
foodwich, Try doubling the mushroom amount (maybe adding another variety of dried mushroom to the mix) and add some soy sauce or tamari to make up for the salt lost by omitting the pancetta.
if i dont eat pancetta what can i substitute ? no pork please.