Shiitake Mushroom Bisque with Thyme & Nettles

Making good food as our medicine is often a big hit when it comes out of our kitchen.  Years of playing and experimenting in the kitchen make it all happen. We took up our best knives and chopped, stirred, consulted knowledge, experience, and the intuitive forces present and came up with this simple yet potent, satisfying soup for deep winter support. after many requests, we thought we'd give it a proper write-up. Enjoy from our kitchen to yours. 

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Shiitake Mushroom Bisque with Thyme & Nettles
​The Recipe (easy!)

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INGREDIENTS
1/2 lb - 3/4 lb chopped fresh shiitakes - or reconstitute 1/4 lb dried
1 large chopped onion
2 teaspoons minced fresh ginger root
2-3 garlic cloves chopped
3-4 yellow potatoes chopped
3-4 garlic scapes (we had frozen garlic scapes - optional when ya have)
1 TB fresh thyme leaf or more if you like - plus extra for serving
1/8 -1/4 teaspoon cracked pepper or to your liking
2 TB dried nettles
3 TB of oil or butter to your liking
2 TB arrowroot or tapioca powder (for your rouge)
8 cups bone or veg broth 
6-8oz. 1/2 & 1/2 cream or coconut milk if dairy free needed
 
A handful of chopped scallions, squeezes of fresh lime juice, sprinkles of fresh cracked pepper and thyme leaves for serving

DIRECTIONS:
- sauté the shiitakes for 5 minutes in oil or butter until a bit of browning happens
- add onion, ginger, garlic, thyme, nettles, and pepper; saute a few more minutes
- add potatoes and continue to stir adding more oil or butter if needed
- add arrowroot or tapioca powder and cook a few more minutes stirring constantly to make a light brown rouge
- add  bone or veggie stock you love, bring to simmer for 10 or so minutes just until the potatoes are done, turn off the heat and allow to sit for about 10 minutes for flavors to infuse
- stir in 8oz of 1/2 n 1/2 cream (or heavy cream), or coconut milk for non-dairy options; adjust salt and pepper to your taste. 

​Serve with more fresh thyme, fresh squeezed lime, and sliced green onion. A good load of bread or cornbread goes great with this. Enjoy!

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​In our home 1 bowl equals a 'therapeutic dose' of medicine.
Have 2-3 bowls per day for active cold & flu symptoms! Perfectly fine for daily health care intermittent use by having random bowls throughout your life (giggling with toes wiggling because it's that delicious to me). Enjoy and may you stay strong through these darker months where all is brought to the table for review. Keep shittakes around always. Have soup ready. Thank you shittakes and all for your deep care of us here. xo-Jen 

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Shiitakes

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Plant Journeys at EMS of Herbs

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Making your home apothecary your primary health care is not that hard. Consulting the plants first is a safe, effective, and potent part of healing that requires a little bit of learning since our near relatives may not have been given these skills to pass along to us. We do it anyway under these circumstances. May we meet in class one day... Blessings Always, Jen

Course Offerings at EMS of Herbs

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ElderMoon Apothecary is growing...

I said yes again to it all. It takes time to cultivate a community apothecary but it's happening. There's around 70 medicine plants in house now handcrafted as tinctures and a few more to come (plus much more to come) that I just know demand space on the shelves here. Seedling leaves unfurling... Thank you for your support. -Jen

The Apothecary

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