Lemongrass chicken broth and mushroom wontons

Styling Kari Wardrop, Photography Jerry Grajewski

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Ingredients

6 cups chicken broth

1 stalk fresh lemongrass, chopped

2 cloves garlic, sliced

1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and sliced

Stalks from one bunch fresh cilantro

2 green onions, thinly sliced, to garnish

Mushroom wontons

2 tablespoons canola oil

10-12 mushrooms, sliced

1 teaspoon fresh ginger, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

1⁄2 bunch green onions, chopped

1 teaspoon soy sauce

1⁄2 teaspoon sesame oil

1⁄2 package square wonton wrappers (about 50 per package), thawed overnight in the refrigerator

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For soup, place all ingredients except green onions in stock pot and bring to a boil over high heat. Cover, reduce heat to medium-low and simmer for 1 hour. Strain and return clear broth to the pot. Broth can be made up to 2 days in advance and refrigerated until ready to serve.

For wontons, in large sauté pan over medium-high heat, place canola oil and sauté mushrooms, ginger and garlic for 5-7 minutes, or until mushrooms
are cooked through and most of their water has evaporated. Add green onions, soy and sesame oil and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat and let cool slightly. Place in food processor, pulse a few times until coarsely chopped and cool completely. To form wontons, place 1 tablespoon of filling in centre of wrapper, brush water around the edges, and fold in half to seal. Take two corners and pinch them together. Repeat with all of the filling. Set aside on a baking sheet and cover with a damp towel until ready to use.

To serve, bring broth to simmer and drop in wontons. Cook for 3-5 minutes, or until wontons are cooked through. Divide broth and wontons among 6 serving bowls and garnish with green onions.

Serve immediately. Serves 6.