Mushroom and Wheat Berry Soup
By America's Test KitchenPublished on November 15, 2019
Time
1¾ hours
Yield
Serves 8
Ingredients
1 cup wheat berries, rinsed3 tablespoons cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil 1½ pounds cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thinSalt and pepper 1 onion, chopped fine6 garlic cloves, minced2 teaspoons tomato paste 1 cup dry sherry 8 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth 1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce 1 sprig fresh thyme 1 bay leaf ½ ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, finely ground using spice grinder4 ounces mustard greens, stemmed and chopped¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest
Before You Begin
White mushrooms can be substituted for the cremini. We used a spice grinder to process the dried shiitake mushrooms, but a blender also works.
Instructions
- Toast wheat berries in Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant and beginning to darken, about 5 minutes; transfer to bowl.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in now-empty pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add cremini mushrooms and ¼ teaspoon salt, cover, and cook until mushrooms have released their liquid, about 3 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to medium-high, and cook until mushrooms begin to brown, 5 to 7 minutes; transfer to plate.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste and cook until slightly darkened, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in sherry, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in toasted wheat berries, broth, soy sauce, thyme, bay leaf, and ground shiitakes and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until wheat berries are tender but still chewy, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Discard bay leaf and thyme sprig.
- Off heat, stir in reserved cremini and any accumulated juices, mustard greens, and lemon zest, cover, and let sit until greens are wilted, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
Time
1¾ hoursYield
Serves 8Ingredients
1 cup wheat berries, rinsed
3 tablespoons cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
1½ pounds cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin
Salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped fine
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 cup dry sherry
8 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
½ ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, finely ground using spice grinder
4 ounces mustard greens, stemmed and chopped
¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 cup wheat berries, rinsed
3 tablespoons cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
1½ pounds cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin
Salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped fine
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 cup dry sherry
8 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
½ ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, finely ground using spice grinder
4 ounces mustard greens, stemmed and chopped
¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest
Test Kitchen Techniques
Ingredients
1 cup wheat berries, rinsed
3 tablespoons cold-pressed extra-virgin olive oil
1½ pounds cremini mushrooms, trimmed and sliced thin
Salt and pepper
1 onion, chopped fine
6 garlic cloves, minced
2 teaspoons tomato paste
1 cup dry sherry
8 cups homemade or low-sodium chicken or vegetable broth
1 tablespoon low-sodium soy sauce
1 sprig fresh thyme
1 bay leaf
½ ounce dried shiitake mushrooms, finely ground using spice grinder
4 ounces mustard greens, stemmed and chopped
¼ teaspoon grated lemon zest
Test Kitchen Techniques
Why This Recipe Works
Wheat berries are whole, unprocessed kernels of wheat and an excellent source of nutrients. To bring out their nutty flavor, we toasted them in a dry Dutch oven. Next we slowly cooked our cremini mushrooms in a covered pot to concentrate their flavors and extract the juices. To amplify the earthiness of the wheat berries and creminis, we built a flavorful base from ground dried shiitake mushrooms, tomato paste, soy sauce, dry sherry, and plenty of garlic. Grinding the shiitakes ensured their flavor permeated the broth. After simmering our wheat berries, we finished the soup with vitamin-packed mustard greens and some lemon zest for freshness.
Before You Begin
White mushrooms can be substituted for the cremini. We used a spice grinder to process the dried shiitake mushrooms, but a blender also works.
Instructions
- Toast wheat berries in Dutch oven over medium heat, stirring often, until fragrant and beginning to darken, about 5 minutes; transfer to bowl.
- Heat 2 tablespoons oil in now-empty pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add cremini mushrooms and ¼ teaspoon salt, cover, and cook until mushrooms have released their liquid, about 3 minutes. Uncover, increase heat to medium-high, and cook until mushrooms begin to brown, 5 to 7 minutes; transfer to plate.
- Heat remaining 1 tablespoon oil in now-empty pot over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in garlic and tomato paste and cook until slightly darkened, about 2 minutes.
- Stir in sherry, scraping up any browned bits, and cook until nearly evaporated, about 2 minutes. Stir in toasted wheat berries, broth, soy sauce, thyme, bay leaf, and ground shiitakes and bring to boil over medium-high heat. Cover, reduce heat to low, and simmer until wheat berries are tender but still chewy, 45 minutes to 1 hour. Discard bay leaf and thyme sprig.
- Off heat, stir in reserved cremini and any accumulated juices, mustard greens, and lemon zest, cover, and let sit until greens are wilted, about 5 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
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