Dried Shiitake Mushroom Soup

Chinese mushroom soup inspired me to create this delicious soup. The base for this soup is chicken stock, which is best prepared from a fresh chicken carcass. Plump shiitake mushrooms of the donko variety produce the best result. The reconstituted mushrooms are steamed in chicken stock for almost an hour. The mushrooms acquire a juicy, chewy texture and, in return, give a sweet, fragrant flavor to the chicken stock. Only a little salt and sliced scallions, added immediately before se