This soup is built on a mushroom preparation I’ve had in my arsenal for years, a combination of dried and fresh mushrooms cooked down with seasonings until they are soft and coated in a silky glaze. I usually use this mixture to sauce pasta or top crostini, but I decided to soup-ify it by combining it with a shiitake and Parmesan broth, which came together while I was cooking down the mushrooms. I always save and freeze Parmesan rinds, shiitake stems, and leek tops, and I figured the combination would produce a broth that would complement and enhance the mushrooms’ earthy flavor. We loved this soup in its more rustic form (unblended), but for fun I also decided to press some through a fine mesh strainer to make it smoother. I poured that batch into shot glasses, which would be a great way to serve it as a first course or at a holiday gathering.

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