Miso Soup

The benefits of fermented foods has been on the radar of health conscious folks for many years now.  We are just beginning to understand the benefits of these foods in our overall heath.  They can help reduce cholesterol levels in our blood and they strengthen and support our digestive and immune systems.  If you would like to read more about these foods check out www.mercola.com.  Dr. Mercola has some good information on his web site about this.

With that in mind I have longed to try and get some fermented food into my daily diet.  I have found it to be somewhat difficult as some of the items don't sound all that appetizing to me.  I have, however, had a fascination with miso and every time I have miso soup or something served with miso I think I need to learn how to make this part of my regular cooking regime.  I decided to finally do it and bought some white miso and started messing around with recipes.  So far I tried making a salad dressing but it left something to be desired......I still need to work on that one before I share it with you.  My favorite so far is the miso glaze I make for roasted salmon.  Yum!  And all those health benefits.  I also tried this miso soup, which is fast and easy so I wanted to share it with you.

This can be an all vegetarian dish with the use of vegetable stock and tofu.  The miso and edemame actually contain enough protein that the tofu is not needed but adding it makes the soup a little heartier although this soup is light and so I would serve it as a first course.

Serves 6 to 8
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 leeks, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 bunch chard, chopped
2 quarts vegetable or chicken stock
2 medium carrots, chopped
4 ounces buckwheat noodles, broken
1 cup edamame
1/2 cup white miso
2 scallions
optional: 1 cup cooked chicken or tofu

Prepare the chard by removing the large stalks then dicing the remainder into large chunks. Set aside.

Heat the olive oil in a large stockpot, add the leeks and garlic and saute for 3 minutes.  Add the chard and saute for 5 minutes, then add the stock.  Bring to a boil.  Add the carrots then reduce the heat to a slow simmer, do not boil, until carrots are tender about 10 minutes.

Meanwhile bring a pot of water to the boil and cook buckwheat noodles according to package directions, about 3 minutes.  Break the noodles up so that when you eat them they will stay on the spoon. Drain noodles and run under cool water to stop the cooking process.   Add to the stock pot.

Measure the miso into a bowl and take 1 cup of the cooking liquid and add to it.  Stir it until it is Incorporated and then pour it all back into the stock pot.

Add the chicken or tofu and cook only to heat through, about 2 minutes.  Serve immediately with sliced scallions as garnish.