Miso mushroom & tofu broth

Ingredients

For 2 portions

• Chestnut mushrooms200 g
• Leek150 g
• Onion1 onion (100 g)
• Celery80 g
• Olive oil20 ml
• Garlic2 cloves (10 g)
• Vegetable stock800 ml
• Carrots120 g
• Fresh thyme5 g
• Firm tofu150 g
• Spinach80 g
• White miso20 g
• Sea salt3 g
• Black pepper2 g
• Pumpkin seeds20 g

Method

1. 1

   Prepare your ingredients: chestnut mushrooms — wipe clean and slice; leek — trim, halve lengthways, wash and slice; onion — peel and dice; celery — finely dice; garlic — peel and crush or finely slice; vegetable stock — make up from a stock cube or pot, or use homemade; carrots — peel and slice into 1 cm rounds; fresh thyme — strip leaves from 4–5 sprigs; firm tofu — press and cut into 2 cm cubes; spinach — wash; no chopping needed for baby spinach; white miso — loosen with a little hot stock; pumpkin seeds — toast in a dry pan for 3 minutes.

2. 2

   Heat the oil in a large pan over a high heat and fry the mushrooms in batches until golden, about 8 minutes. Set a handful aside for the top.

3. 3

   Lower the heat, add a little more oil and soften the leek, onion and celery with a pinch of salt for 8–10 minutes, without colouring.

4. 4

   Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute until fragrant.

5. 5

   Add the carrots and fresh thyme, then pour in 800 ml hot stock. Bring to the boil, then simmer gently for 20 minutes.

6. 6

   Add the firm tofu and spinach for the final 5 minutes.

7. 7

   Off the heat, stir in the white miso (loosen the miso in a ladle of soup first).

8. 8

   Taste and adjust with salt and freshly ground black pepper.

9. 9

   Ladle into warm bowls and finish with the pumpkin seeds and a little olive oil.