Oyster Mushroom Chowder with Coconut Bacon Bits

by Julie Morris

November 16, 2017

45 6 3/5

Ingredients

2/3 cup raw cashews
6 cups Seaweed Broth (see Instructions), divided
2 Tbsp coconut oil
2 leeks, trimmed, halved, and thinly sliced
1 medium fennel bulb, finely chopped
2 ribs celery, finely chopped
4 cloves garlic, minced
¾ lb red potatoes, cut into
½-inch dice
1 fresh sprig rosemary
1 Tbsp Om Cordyceps mushroom powder
6.5 oz oyster mushrooms, separated, trimmed, and chopped into large pieces (about 3 cups)
½ cup dry white wine
2 tsp dulse flakes
Sea salt and ground black pepper
½ cup Coconut Bacon Bits (see Instructions)
¼ cup minced parsley leaves

Directions

Oyster mushrooms have a slight from-the-sea flavor but definitely taste more like fabulous mushrooms than actual oysters. If you can’t find oyster mushrooms, substitute away with other types of fresh wild mushrooms for endless variations on this indulgent chowder.

Combine the cashews with 2 cups of the broth in a blender. Blend until smooth. Set aside. Warm the oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add the leeks and cook for 2 minutes or until they are bright green and wilted. Stir in the fennel, celery, and garlic, and cook for 4–5 minutes longer to soften.

Add the potatoes, rosemary, Om CORDYCEPS powder, and the last 4 cups of the broth. Bring the mixture to a boil over high heat, and then reduce the heat to medium-low, cover the pot, and simmer for 12–15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender. Discard the rosemary sprig. Add the mushrooms, wine, and blended cashew mixture to the pot. Over medium-low heat, return the soup to a simmer, and then cook for 5 minutes longer, or until the mushrooms are cooked through. Stir in the dulse flakes, and then season to taste with salt and pepper. To serve, ladle the chowder into bowls, and generously top with Coconut Bacon Bits and a sprinkle of parsley.

Seaweed Broth

Makes about 10 cups

3 quarts (12 cups) filtered water
1 piece dried kombu (about 2×4 inches)
2 Tbsp tamari

Bring the water to a boil in a large, heavy-bottomed pot. Add the kombu, and reduce the heat to medium-low. Partially cover and simmer for 30 minutes. Remove the kombu (save it for another use, if desired), and stir in the tamari. Let the broth cool a bit before transferring it to a storage container. Seaweed Broth will last for 1 week in the refrigerator, or for several months in the freezer.

Coconut Bacon Bits

Makes 1/2 cup

2 Tbsp tamari
1 Tbsp maple syrup
½ tsp hickory liquid smoke
½ tsp smoked paprika
½ tsp onion powder
½ tsp chipotle powder
1 tsp ground sumac
½ tsp sea salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
1 Tbsp coconut oil
1½ cups coconut flakes

Line a large plate with a paper towel and set aside.

In a small bowl, whisk together the tamari, maple syrup, liquid smoke, paprika, onion powder, chipotle powder, ground sumac, sea salt, and black pepper. Place the bowl in easy reach of the stove.

Warm the coconut oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Test the oil to make sure it’s piping hot by adding a single coconut flake—if it sizzles, the pan is ready. If it doesn’t sizzle, wait another minute, or until the coconut flake begins to bubble and hiss. Once the oil is hot, add the coconut flakes to the pan. Stirring constantly, so as not to burn them, toast the coconut flakes until they are golden brown, about 2–3 minutes. Add the tamari-spice mixture and stir continually for 1 minute longer to allow the extra moisture to dissipate. Immediately transfer the coconut to the prepared plate, spreading the toasted flakes over the surface of the towel to absorb excess oil.

Let the coconut bits sit for 20 minutes to cool and slightly crisp. Store them at room temperature in a sealed container, where they will keep for about 1 month.

Julie Morris is a California-based superfood chef, best-selling author of five cookbooks, and the co-founder of Luminberry – an online center for learning how to cook with superfoods. Having worked in the natural food industry for over a decade, Julie currently enjoys her time as a sought-after recipe developer and consultant for leading food companies and cutting-edge restaurants, and is a frequent media contributor featured in Wall Street Journal, GQ, Clean Eating, SELF, and many more.