Crawfish, Asparagus and Wood Ear Mushroom Soup
Sweet, succulent crawfish, fresh asparagus, and crunchy wood ear mushrooms come together in this light, simple to prepare soup. With a broth infused with black garlic and a hint of Cajun seasoning, this is a perfect soup for any time of the year, hot or cold.This recipe is gluten, dairy, and nightshade free.
Servings: 8
Ingredients
- 1 lb crawfish tail meat
- 2 cups asparagus sliced into 1" pieces
- 2 quarts chicken broth
- 6 wood ear mushrooms dried
- 1 tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tbsp coconut aminos
- 1½ tsp salt
- ¾ tsp Cajun seasoning
- sea salt and black pepper to taste
- 6 cloves black garlic
- sliced green onion optional garnish
- fresh cilantro leaves optional garnish
Instructions
- Briefly rinse dried wood ear mushrooms to remove any dirt or grit that might be hiding in them. Place them in a small bowl of warm water and let them soak until fully rehydrated (about 20 mins). Drain, shake off any excess water, then slice them into thin strips. Set aside.
- In a large pot (at least 4 quarts), heat chicken broth over medium heat until it reaches a boil.
- While broth is heating, place black garlic in a small bowl and mash it with a fork. You are aiming to turn it into a paste, but it does not need to be perfectly smooth.
- Once broth has reached a boil, ladle 1 cup of it into the bowl with the black garlic. Add coconut aminos and cornstarch, then whisk until fully blended. Pour back into the pot.
- Reduce heat to a simmer. Add asparagus and cook until it just starts to turn tender, about 6 minutes. Add wood ear and cooked crawfish meat, and simmer for another minute or until crawfish is heated through (do not boil). Take care not to overcook, or the the crawfish will turn rubbery. Season with Cajun seasoning, salt and black pepper. Remove from heat.
- Serve garnished with sliced green onion and torn fresh cilantro leaves.
Notes
- Wood ear mushrooms, also referred to as black fungus, is a thin, translucent mushroom that grows on tree trunks and fallen logs. It is most notable for its slightly chewy/crunchy texture, and is a common ingredient in many Asian dishes (in the US, it is most probably best known as a key ingredient in hot and sour soup served at many Chinese restaurants). It is most commonly sold dried, but can sometimes be found for sale fresh. Look for it in Asian and specialty markets, or with other varieties of dried mushrooms in mainstream supermarkets.
- Crawfish (or crayfish, if you prefer that term - I usually reserve that for speaking about the animal, rather than the food) is very popular in parts of the southern US, but can be an uncommon find elsewhere in the country. Seafood markets are the most reliable source, but it is also sometimes available at Asian markets.