Ingredients:

• 250g lion’s mane mushrooms, whole or large pieces
• 3 cups vegetable stock
• 150ml soya sauce (optional)
• 25ml oyster sauce (optional)
• 2 sprigs thyme and/or rosemary
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black peppercorns
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice (optional)
• Fresh parsley

Serves 2 – 4

Instructions:

1. In a large, wide pot, combine the vegetable stock, soya sauce, oyster sauce, thyme, rosemary, crushed garlic, salt, and black peppercorns. Bring the mixture to a gentle simmer over medium heat.
2. Carefully add the lion’s mane mushrooms to the simmering stock. Ensure the mushrooms remain as submerged as possible the liquid.
3. Reduce the heat to at most a gentle simmer and poach the mushrooms for 20-30 minutes.
4. Once cooked, remove the pot from the heat and let the mushrooms cool in the stock for 5-10 minutes to further infuse the flavors.
5. Using a slotted spoon, carefully transfer the poached lion’s mane mushrooms to a serving dish or individual plates.
6. Strain the stock to remove any solids and adjust flavours to allow serving as a soup either with or alongside the poached mushrooms.
7. Lightly drizzle some lemon juice over the poached mushrooms for added acidity (optional).
8. Garnish the soupy broth with fresh chopped parsley before serving.
9. Serve the poached lion’s mane mushrooms as an appetizer, side dish, or incorporate them into other recipes.

Note: The poaching time may vary depending on the size and thickness of the lion’s mane mushrooms. Adjust accordingly to ensure they are cooked through. Feel free to experiment with additional herbs and spices to enhance the flavor of the poaching liquid.

It’s also interesting to note that there are a variety of studied health benefits attributed to lions’ mane mushrooms, specifically as relates to brain and nervous system health, gut health and heart health. See this summary for more information as well as reputable sources of further information on the research that has been conducted.