Grandma Cheyne’s Mushroom Soup

This is one recipe that no matter how hard I try, I cannot produce the same result as my grandmother when she prepares this for Christmas Eve dinner every year.  You need to have an ‘acquired’ taste to enjoy this treat…however if you are fond of the fungi family…you’ll no doubt love this warm combination of pasta, mushroom & sauerkraut juice.  (Don’t knock it until you try it…you might be surprised…just like Green Eggs & Ham!)

ingredients 

1 lb of fresh mushrooms
1 small onion (chopped fine)
1 clove of fresh garlic (chopped fine or minced)
3 tablespoons of butter or margarine
1 small can of sauerkraut juice
1 package of pastina or other small pasta of your choice  (have the pasta pre-cooked)

preparation

1. In a large skillet, add the mushrooms, garlic & onion & enough water to cover musrooms.
2. Cook the mushrooms until all the water evaporates; add additional water & continue this process until the mushrooms are a dark, black color.  (You want to almost burn the mushrooms, however do NOT burn them…continue this gradual process adding of water and cooking to evaporation until the black color is achieved)
3. Once the mushrooms are dark black in color & you have evaporated the last cycle of water, add the butter/margarine to the skillet & 1 can of sauerkraut juice.  Also add in the pastina. You can add as much pastina as you like…however, keep in mind the more pasta you add….the less the end result will resemble soup.  (So add the pasta sparingly)
4. Let everything simmer for 1 to 2 hours on low to infuse pasta with the mushroom & sauerkraut flavor.

**Note: You can add more sauerkraut juice and/or water to balance the soup’s liquidity and/or sour content.

serving size

1 pot – you can increase the size of this recipe by doubling, tripling the all ingredients equally.