Spring is definitely here, but local spring crops are still a ways away, and snow squalls and flurries stubbornly dotted our week. There was some sunshine here and there, but snow stuck to the grass and trees and made driving a bit unnerving. This weekend, we’re due for more uninvited snow and an icy mix, while next week will bring warmer temperatures. At this time of year, we rarely plow our driveways, we just drive through whatever we’re given and know it will probably be melted before we get home. Then there’s the mud, sometimes it lurks under the snow, and it seems we’ve already been in mud season off and on all winter.
What season is it really?
As mild as the winter was, it seems to be holding on fast. But the little treasure in the strange week of weather has been incredible light peeking through when the squalls disappeared. It doesn’t help the spring fever, but does at least give us a reason to pause now and then.
“Come, look at the sky. Grab the camera.” Even though we know the photo will pale in comparison to what we’re witnessing.
Time for soup, again
It all definitely sent us back to the soup pot for some comfort food. We rely on the rest of the roots from last harvest, potatoes and carrots, and fresh dug spring parsnips if you can find them. We also have all the beautiful greens available from the greenhouses in the area, abundant again. I decided I didn’t really want to head back out the market, so I made due with what I had in hand to make my soup, and chowder sounded really good to me. In New England, we think of chowder as clam or corn usually, but any seafood or a vegetarian version is delicious as well.
Mushrooms, the star
What I had on hand after visiting the farm store to pick up my CSA the day before was some glorious mushrooms. We are lucky indeed to have many local farmers growing a bounty of various ‘wild’ mushrooms, and those became the focus of my chowder. Use a nice mix if you can find it, but this is even good if all you have are button mushrooms. This mix had oyster, king, lion’s mane, and shiitake, which all worked well. If you’ve got some corn frozen from last year, toss that in as well, why not? My supply is about gone now, so it’s become precious again.
Dried mushroom secret weapon
Dried mushrooms add tons of flavor to any broth or sauce. They are a secret flavor weapon in my kitchen all year, especially when I’m cooking vegetarian. Earthy and rich, a little goes a long ways. Here I’ve used a mix of porcini and local hen-of-the-woods I foraged last fall, but you can use any variety you have. Just read the package carefully and buy as local as possible. There’s a ton of really cheap imports from China out there, and you know how I feel about that. You get what you pay for, and you probably aren’t even aware of what you are actually getting in those large discount bags.
Use what you have
Leeks are sweet and delicious, but you can easily substitute any onion here, or shallots, whatever you have on hand, just so you don’t have to run out to the market again. Our green of choice from the CSA this week was beautiful baby spinach, so in they went. Any green will work here from arugula to Swiss chard.
I’ve used a creamy oat milk to whiten, but use any milk you like. The broth is very flavorful, but if you want it thicker you can use cream or coconut milk. What’s in your pantry? It’s all good.
Mixed Mushroom and Spinach Chowder
- 1 oz. (30 g.) dried mushrooms, any variety
- 1 cup boiling water
- 10 oz. (300 g.) leeks cut into rings
- 2 stalks celery, minced
- 1 carrot or parsnip, diced
- 12 oz. (340 g.) mixed fresh mushrooms
- 2 potatoes, large dice
- Large pinch of tarragon
- 3 bay leaves
- 3 oz. (100 g.) fresh baby spinach
- 1 cup corn
- 4 cups (1.5 liter) water
- Oat or dairy milk, warmed with a grate of nutmeg
Cover the dried mushrooms with boiling water and set aside for 15 minutes. You will use all of this. Meanwhile, prep vegetables.
In a soup pot, sauté the leek rings, celery, and carrot in a couple of tablespoons of olive oil, season with salt and pepper, and cook until the leeks are soft and translucent, you’re not looking for color here. Add the mushrooms and continue cooking until they soften as well, adding a pinch more salt.
Add the potatoes, tarragon, bay leaves, and the water. Drain the dried mushroom juices into the pot, chop the rehydrated mushrooms and toss them in as well. Flavor and more flavor.
Bring to a boil, reduce to a simmer, cover, and cook until the potatoes are tender. Add the corn and baby spinach, and as soon as it wilts, add some milk of choice to a creamy consistency. Top with some sliced scallions if you have them on hand, check seasoning, and dot with some butter if you like.
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You are so lucky you can get wild mushrooms! I’m so jealous. Because I can’t I’ve never cooked with them. But I absolutely love what dried mushrooms do for flavor.
Thank you mimi. They are wonderful, aren’t they? Each fall if we are lucky enough to get enough rain, I look for a wild hen-of-the-woods. Sometimes they are as big as my head, and they are bountiful around here. Even a half of one is enough to dehydrate for the entire year. Once dried, they taste an awful lot like a dried porcini mushroom, and I’ll take that any day of the year!
I love all mushrooms, Dorothy, and this is a wonderful dish!
Thank you!
Joanna
Thank you Joanna! It is really tasty, and makes good use of our local foods this time of year.
My kind of soup. Looks so good
This sounds yummy! Love the variety of veggies and I will try using dried mushrooms – you got me intrigued here!
Oh, it adds so much flavor! You will love it I’m sure, another secret kitchen weapon!
I loved the addition of those beautiful snow and sky shots! Those are stunning. The chowder is very pretty and sounds delicious, especially with that bread for dunking!
Thanks! The sky was remarkable!
This would have been a welcome bowl of chowder over the past weekend when we also had snow swirling over the mountains. Of course I think a bowl of soup/chowder is good no matter the weather!
Oh I know! Soup in the summer? Why not? We eat other hot food in summer.
My husband loves mushroom soup!
Well, I’ll save him some!
Yum, Dorothy. I have similar ingredients in the house, and it’s the perfect day for soup!
Enjoy!
OMG, this looks so good.
Thanks! Chowders are among my favorites.
Though it’s not snowy here at all, it did got cold again, so such hearty warming soup/chowder is definitely due! 🙂
Thanks! A bowl of soup is sometimes like a warm hug.
Absolutely beautiful landscape photos – gorgeous!
Thanks Judy! It was one of those magnificent light moments that one can only hope to capture in some small way. It stops you in your tracks.
Bundle up, more snow tomorrow.
That looks like a soup with well balanced flavors. I like that you made this a chowder and not a pureed soup, keeping the mushrooms (and other veggies) in pieces.
It was quite hearty! Thank you.
I love soup all tims of the year. And that photo of your soup and bread – how good does that look?!! Incredible. My mouth is watering as I type. Thank you for sharing this recipe.
Thanks so much! Soup is always a pleasure to make and consume!
It is a beautiful soup and the flavors have to be perfect together! I’ve recently been sauteing mushrooms, garlic, and spinach together and it is delicious, so I like the idea of using the combination in a chowder. Thank you for sharing!
Thank you! Mushrooms, garlic, and spinach sautéed sound perfect!
What a yummy recipe. I use a lot of coarse black pepper in my chowders. 🥰
How else would one eat a chowder? Lots of pepper for me too, please.
Mushrooms are a wonder of the world and your access to wild ones lets me eat them vicariously through you. this looks so delicious and the pinch of nutmeg? *chef’s kiss*
Thank you! I love that term ‘chef’s kiss’!
Taking this one step further (and out of the vegetarian zone) would be to toss in some leftover shredded chicken and soak up the deliciousness with that gorgeous crostini that’s giving me the “come hither” look. Luscious, D!
That’s the beauty of soups and stews, you can add what you’ve got and love, and it’s different every time.
And there must be bread!
It must be nice having a “Produce Department” out your back door. I’m so jelly. 🍄🍃
I do have a lot of woods! Right now, the bears are waking up, so I’m keeping away from the free market…
This looks so substantial, Dorothy. A meal in a bowl. Dried mushies here I come.
Those dried mushrooms come in handy!
This weather is crazy! My rhubarb had leaves when I cleaned out the bed a week ago. I’m sure they don’t now. Lol I would love to have access to all those mushrooms, what a delicious flavor it must have given this soup.
We had another foot of snow this weekend, just when my little crocuses had started to bloom!
The mushrooms were delicious, thank you!
This is a great soup. You are so right about dried mushrooms. Is chowder just a New England word for soup, or are there any specific characteristics for something to be considered a chowder?
Thank you Stefan. A chowder in New England, pronounced frequently and humorously, chowdah, is a milk or cream based soup, usually with seafood, or corn, and often potatoes as well. The most popular is clam chowder, one of my favorites as long as it’s not made with a thick, gloppy roux!
Thank you Dorothy. I know about clam chowder, and I actually have a recipe on my blog for it. I wonder if it passes your judgement? https://stefangourmet.com/2015/11/07/new-england-clam-chowder/
Looks very New England, and my mother would approve as she always used bacon in hers!
The rustic taste of mushrooms is so wonderful – thank for sharing this recipe with me!
Thank you! I adore mushrooms, any type!
Dried mushrooms do add immense flavor. I have a hard time finding them out here. But I can in Pennsylvania.
This soup is my kind of soup.
Once again… set an extra place at the table. I’ve gone and invited myself again. 😃
Always room at my table for you Nancy!
Pennsylvania mushrooms are great! They produce a lot of dried mushrooms.
Beautiful 😍 Its amazing that we can both be in spring and have such different climates. Thank you for sharing ❤️
It’s amazing to me that our climate changes from day to day! We’ve had 65 degree weather with little sprouts and crocuses in the garden, and then a foot of snow over the weekend. That’s New England!
This sounds divine Dorothy, perfect comfort food for your snowy situation! March is always full of surprises!
Jenna
Thank you! March is indeed full of surprises, Jenna, and April too!
Can we say comfort food. I like adding spinach to a lot of things. This looks like a winner! Yum! 🙂
Thank you! We love it with the spinach, and I like to sneak those greens in whenever I can.
Spinach AND mushrooms! Les would go nuts for this!
Well, you will have to treat him, my dear!
This sounds like a really good soup—love all the healthy ingredients! Chilly March and April days are still great times to enjoy a hot bowl of soup! 🙂
Thank you Nancy! Our March spring certainly went backwards last weekend.
Spring is wonderful but enjoy those views as are stunning!
Mushrooms and spinach, I would never thought to put them together but sounds like a delicious chowder 😋😋
Looks good. 😋
Thank you so much! It was quite tasty.
I love anything with mushrooms! This looks delicious.
Thank you! I’m with you, never get tired of them!
Mouth watering!!! Dorothy
Thank you! It was really tasty.