Is there a way to tone down the flavor of celery in an Oyster Mushroom Chowder?
I just created an oyster mushroom chowder with a cashew-cream base for my vegetarian wife who can't do dairy.
It turned out OK, but I overdid the celery and it tested strongly like cream of celery soup. Is there any way to cut back the flavor after it's finished besides adding more cream and veggie broth, which would throw off all the rest of the flavors which I nailed?
Best Answer
I'm going to step out on a limb here and declare that you'll need to add more of the other ingredients. Even then, you're likely to throw off the overall balance of flavors because they have not all cooked together.
Here's a study abstract that suggests there are about 6 compounds that primarily contribute to the flavor and aroma of celery. However, as a home cook, I have no idea what any of these are or how to suppress them specifically. It may be possible to do so, but that solution is likely to be impractical for the home chef.
Another problem is that celery has a very flavor-enhancing effect; this is why it shows up so often in traditional vegetable bases like mirepoix and trinity. Here's another nifty article summarizing a paper that identified the specific compounds responsible for this; the odd thing is that these "phthalides" are largely tasteless. In short: the balance and overall tastiness of your soup might have been reached specifically by adding so much celery.
I think you're going to have to chalk this one up as a learning experience and adjust your recipe next time. One thing you could try (if you're not already, which would surprise me a little) is sweating the celery. I find that this makes the flavor overall a bit milder, with less of the vegetal-bitter flavors while still getting the umami-enhancing effect.
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How do you tone down celery flavor?
Simmer a sprig of rosemary in the broth for a few minutes, for example, then remove it once its evergreen flavor overshadows the celery. Fresh sage is equally emphatic, and it's a canonical companion to chicken's flavor.Does celery change the taste of soup?
Panels of tasters confirmed that the flavor of soup made with celery extract was more intense. In particular, celery's extract enhanced the sweetness and umami (meaty or savory) taste of the broth, even though the extract had virtually no flavor of its own.White Oyster Mushroom Production \u0026 Processing
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Answer 2
yea there is! I find that Irish potatoes, and tomatoes(are the two things l keep around to) diminish celery flavor, if it ends out overpowering a cooked recipe. Using it freeze-dried, and grinded into powder! Sprinkle a bit of each, into your warm oyster mushroom chowder, and stir in to taste.. then heat up to full temp & serve..
Answer 3
I've had success using Chinese hot mustard to diminish the flavor of celery. I usually dip the end of a fork into the hot mustard and use whatever sticks to the ends of the tines -- in other words, not much; a drop or two.
Caveat: I usually do this with stir-fries, and while the mustard flavor isn't strong, it is detectable. I'm not sure how well it would work with your soup.
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