Vegan Morel Bisque

Heat ½ cup water in a kettle until boiling. Place the morel mushrooms in a heat-safe container, then pour the boiling water over the mushrooms. Let rest for 10 minutes, flipping as needed to fully saturate and let rest for another 5 minutes. Remove and squeeze out the mushrooms slightly over the heat-safe container to remove excess liquid, then give a quick rinse under cool water to remove any grit. Combine the mushroom liquid with the vegetable broth, straining it with cheesecloth or a coffee filter to keep out any dirt.

In a stock pot, heat the vegan butter over medium heat, and add in the shallots and potatoes. Cook for 8 minutes, stirring to avoid sticking to the bottom. Add in the rice and porcini powder and cook for another minute, then stir in the sherry, cooking to reduce by half and stirring occasionally to prevent sticking and burning. Pour in the vegetable stock and the chopped morels and bring it to a simmer. Cook for 20-25 minutes on low heat until rice and potatoes are very tender.

Scoop out the chunkier bits of the mixture and add to a food processor or blender. This can likely be done in one batch, but do as many as needed to puree to a smooth consistency. Start off by pulsing and gradually work to a higher speed. Once pureed, pour back into the stock pot. Stir in the coconut milk, and season with porcini salt and white pepper to taste.

To serve, garnish with olive oil, chopped chives, chopped parsley, fried shallots, or green onions.

You can also reserve a few mushrooms to garnish with as well.