Shaggy Jack's Cauliflower Mushroom Hot & Sour Soup

By far the best mushroom dish I've ever created was a traditional Chinese hot and sour soup using cauliflower mushroom broth as a substitute for chicken broth, with large crunchy ribbons of cauliflower mushroom replacing cloud ears & shiitake in the soup.

Ingredients:

cauliflower mushroom

pork, chicken or lobster mushroom

extra firm tofu

bamboo shoots

dried lily flower

ginger

mushroom soy sauce

Chinkiang vinegar

Marukan seasoned rice vinegar

white pepper

corn starch

duck egg

scallions

Directions:

Chop up cauliflower mushroom into bite-size pieces. Place in water in stock pot & bring to boil; simmer for one hour or until broth is golden brown & aromatic. Marinate or season, then saute, julienne strips of pork or chicken – or, for a vegan twist, cut thin strips of lobster mushroom and cook until crisp. Cut julienne strips of extra firm tofu, bamboo shoots & ginger. Reconstitute dried lily flowers. Add ingredients to simmering broth. Season with soy sauce, vinegars & white pepper until you achieve appropriate balance of hot and sour flavors. Mix corn starch with cold water & slowly add to soup to thicken to desired consistency. Remove from heat, stir in lightly beaten duck eggs & garnish with chopped scallions.