Chinese Twin Mushroom Soup

This recipe calls for dried black mushroom, but you can substitute another kind of mushroom. It also uses "button" mushrooms, or the white kind. In my area I can find an assortment of fresh and dried mushrooms in my produce section. Using two different kinds is appealing to the eye.

• Ready In: 50 mins
• Serves: 6
• Yields: 6

Ingredients

• 1  ounce  dried black mushroom
•  warm water
• 2  teaspoons  vegetable oil
• 1  large onion, coarsely chopped
• 2  garlic cloves, minced
• 2  cups button mushrooms, sliced
• 2 (14 ounce) cans chicken broth (try fat free or reduced sodium)
• 2  ounces cooked ham, cut into thin slivers (or use cooked pork or chicken)
• 1⁄2 cup green onion, thinly sliced on the diagonal (scallions)
• 1  tablespoon soy sauce (try reduced sodium)
• 1  tablespoon dry sherry (try substituting dry white wine or beer)
• 1  tablespoon cornstarch

Directions

1. Place dried mushrooms in a small bowl and cover with warm water to reconstitute for about 20 minutes. Drain, remove stems and discard, and slice caps thinly.
2. Heat oil in a saucepan over medium heat. Add chopped onion and garlic, cook about 1 minute. Add mushrooms and cook about 4 minutes. Next add chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat and simmer 15 minutes. Stir in ham (or other meat substitution) and green onions and heat through.
3. In a small bowl combine soy sauce and sherry into cornstarch until smooth. Add to soup and cook about 2 minutes until soup is thickened, stirring occasionally. Serve.