Yesterday while looking for boletus, I found about a kilo of hypomyces lactifluorum, better known as lobster mushroom. I whipped up this chowder for a quick and simple dinner. The combo of flavours with the richness of the cream makes it quite a decadent little thing.
Hypomyces lactifluorum AKA lobster mushroom
Lobster mushroom & corn chowder
Ingredients
- 500 gr (1 lb) lobster mushrooms, cleaned and diced
- 235 ml (1 cup) leeks, white part only, cut in half and thinly sliced
- 2 fresh ears of corn, kernels cut off the cob
- 2 Yukon gold potatoes, peeled and diced
- 235 ml (1 cup) celery, diced
- 45 ml (3 tbs) olive oil
- 2.5 ml (1/2 tsp) sweet Spanish paprika
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 L (4 cups) vege stock, homemade or best quality store-bought
- 235 ml (1 cup) off-dry Riesling
- 235 ml (1 cup) vegan cooking cream
- salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
- 30 ml (2 tbs) fresh chives, chopped
Heat the olive oil in a heavy pan. Add the lobster mushroom and sauté over medium heat for 10 minutes until tender. Add the leeks and paprika, sauté 3 more minutes. Deglaze the pan with the wine and simmer for 5 minutes. Add stock, bay leaf, potatoes, celery and simmer until the potatoes are tender, about 20 minutes. Add corn kernels, cream, salt & pepper and simmer for 5 minutes more. Serve garnished with chives.
Serves 4
Oh, I want some…
BTW, I like the rustic feel of the mushroom photo!
Well, this was just great! Had to use a mix of oyster and button mushrooms, lobster not being available around here, but still very delicious with these more prosaic ingredients, so don’t be deterred if you haven’t got fancy mushrooms on hand!