Shaggy Mains Wonton Soup

Shaggy Mains is one of my favorite wild mushrooms to forage; as well as one of the safest and easily identified wild mushrooms in North America, even the lookalikes are edible. However I am always looking for recipes to make with wild mushrooms, something a little different.

One of my favorite dishes I like to order in a Chinese restaurant is wanton soup however I did not have a wanton wrapper recipe, so thanks to Google I copied this wrapper recipe and used a basic wanton soup base made with Shaggy Mains.

Start by gathering Shaggy Mains; whether you call them Ink Caps, Shaggy Ink Caps, or Shaggy Mains, Coprinus comatus is an edible mushroom often seen growing on lawns, along gravel roads, waste areas and meadows. They grow scattered or grouped together in grassy areas covering decomposing wood and appear in early spring and late fall. They have a pleasant taste with no odor and should be cooked before eating.

The young fruit bodies first appear as white cylinders emerging from the ground, then the bell-shaped caps open out. The caps are white, and covered with scales, this is the origin of the common names of the fungus. The gills beneath the cap are white, then pink, then turn black and secrete a black liquid filled with spores, hence the name Ink Cap. This mushroom is unusual because it will turn black and dissolve itself in a matter of hours after being picked or when it is depositing spores.

An edible lookalike is Coprinus sterquilinus, which similar in appearance but with fewer scales and it grows on dung.

When young Shaggy Mains is an excellent edible mushroom provided that it is cooked soon after being collected. They have a pleasant taste with no odor and should be cooked before eating. These mushrooms do not keep well because of the auto digestion of its gills and cap. If long-term storage is desired, sautéing or boiling until cooked will allow the mushrooms to be stored in a refrigerator for several days or longer if frozen.

I wash the Shaggy Mains after collecting, dice them with onions, and sautéing them for use later.

1 egg

1/3 cup water

2 cups all-purpose flour

1/2 teaspoon salt

In a medium bowl, beat the egg and mix in the water.

In a large bowl, combine the flour and salt. Create a well in the center of the mixture and slowly pour in the egg and water mix in the well.

Stir the mixture into a dough; if the dough is too dry, increase the amount of water one teaspoon at a time until the dough is pliable.

Keep a little flour in a bowl on the side to dust your hands and the board you are going knead the dough on.

On a lightly floured surface, knead the dough until elastic. Roll dough into a ball and cover with a damp cloth or saran wrap for 30 minutes to rest the dough.

While the dough is resting you can prepare the rest of your soup recipe.

1 pound ground pork

Sesame oil

Soy sauce

1 egg

¼ teaspoon salt

½ teaspoon ground black pepper

¼ teaspoon crushed red pepper

8 cups chicken broth

2 tablespoons minced garlic

2 tablespoons finely minced fresh ginger

2 cups green onions chopped

2 cups prepared Shaggy Mains mushrooms

2 cups Bok Choy

2 cups Snow Peas quartered

Mince the garlic and ginger and place them in a small bowl. Chop the green onions, Bok Choy, and quarter the Snow Peas, place them in a bowl for when you need them but don't mix them up.

In a large saucepan or soup pot heat the oil over medium high heat until hot. Add 1/2 of the garlic and the ginger, cook while stirring until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add ½ of the green onions and the 8 cups chicken broth and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium so that the broth just simmers. Allow broth to simmer for at least 20 to 30 minutes while the wontons are being assembled.

In a small mixing bowl combine the remaining minced garlic and ginger to the ground pork, egg yolk, soy sauce, a teaspoon of sesame oil and crushed red pepper. Mix and knead the ingredients into the ground pork until the spices are thoroughly incorporated into the ground pork.

Cut the ball of dough in half; on a surface coated in flour, roll the dough out as thin as you can. A little flour on your rolling pin, will prevent the dough from sticking to your rolling pin. Cut the rolled out dough into 3 inch squares and cover until you fill the wrappers.

Working on a flat work surface, lay out a few of the wonton wrappers. Keep remaining wonton wrappers covered.

Fill a small bowl partially with cool water and set aside. Using a teaspoon measure, place a heaping teaspoonful of the meat filling in the center of each wonton.

Using your fingers lightly wet the edges of the wonton wrappers.

Bring 2 opposite corners of the wonton together to form a triangle and enclose the filling.

Pressing edges firmly around the mound of filling to eliminate any air pockets and seal.

Moisten opposite corners of the long side, curl moistened corners toward each other, overlapping one on top of the other, and press the edges together to seal.

You should now have a rounded stuffed wonton with a triangle poking up at the top.

Assemble the remaining wontons in the same manner.

When the wontons are all assembled; set them aside and add the rest of the green onions, prepared Shaggy Mains mushrooms, and Bok choy to the broth and cook for 2 to 3 minutes.

Using a slotted spoon, gently add the prepared wontons to the simmering broth. Increase the heat slightly so that the broth returns to a gentle simmer.

Cook; stirring very gently occasionally, until the wontons float and the pork filling is cooked through, about 5 minutes.

Serve the Shaggy Mains Wonton Soup immediately after the wontons are cooked.