Serves 4
4 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 small yellow onion, peeled and rough chopped
1 small carrot, peeled and rough chopped
1 knob of ginger, about the size of your thumb, peeled and rough chopped
4 medium sweet potatoes, peeled and rough chopped
4-6 cups of chicken stock
1 cup of julienne of shiitake mushrooms (no stems)
1 tablespoon chopped chives
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper
In a large pot, melt 2 tablespoons of butter; add onion, carrot, ginger, and sweet potatoes. Season with salt and pepper and sweat until onions are translucent. Add chicken stock until vegetables are covered. Simmer 25 minutes or until vegetables are complete mush. In a blender, puree the soup until completely smooth. Add more chicken stock as necessary. Return pureed soup to a clean pot and adjust seasoning. Remember, you should not taste salt but just the heightened flavors of ginger and sweet potato. In another saucepan, melt the remaining butter and sauté the shiitake mushrooms, being careful not to color them. Bring soup to a simmer and ladle into warm bowls. Place a pile of shiitake mushrooms in the center of each bowl and sprinkle with chopped chives.
