Wild Mushroom and Squash Blossom Soup

3 ½ tablespoons vegetable oil
1 finely chopped medium white onion (about 1/2 cup)
3 cloves garlic, peeled and finely chopped
½ pound zucchini, finely diced (1 medium zucchini)
Sea salt to taste
¾ cup fresh corn kernels (not too sweet)
¼ pound squash blossoms, sepals removed and roughly chopped (optional)
5 cups chicken broth
½ pound fried chicken
mushrooms or other wild mush- rooms, tips of stems removed and rinsed
2 tablespoons roughly chopped cilantro
2 poblano chilies, or 1 green bell pepper, charred, peeled, cleaned and cut into strips

Nutritional Information
- Nutritional analysis per serving (6 servings)
  298 calories; 18 grams fat; 2 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 10 grams monounsaturated fat; 4 grams polyunsaturated fat; 20 grams carbohydrates; 1 gram dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 12 grams protein; 26 milligrams cholesterol; 663 milligrams sodium

6 servings

Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a frying pan. Add 2/3 of the onion and 2 cloves of the garlic. Cook, without browning, until translucent.
Add the squash, sprinkle with salt, cover the pan and cook for about 3 minutes. 3. Add the corn, and continue cooking for 3 more minutes.
Add the squash blossoms and cook, uncovered, until the vegetables are just tender, about 5 minutes. The mixture should not be too juicy. If necessary, reduce the liquid over a high flame.
Add the mixture to the chicken broth in a saucepan, uncovered, and heat over a low flame for a few minutes.
Chop the larger mushrooms, leaving the smaller ones whole. Heat 1 tablespoon of oil in the frying pan. Add the remaining onion and garlic, and cook until the onion is translucent. Add the mushrooms, and cook over a fairly high heat, uncovered, for about 5 minutes. Add the cilantro, and cook for 2 more minutes or until just tender.
Add the mushroom mixture to the saucepan, and simmer for about 10 minutes, so that all the flavors blend well.
Meanwhile, heat the remaining 1/2 tablespoon of oil in the frying pan. Add the chili or pepper strips and a sprinkle of salt, and cook for 1 minute. Serve on top of the broth.

Squash blossoms are likely to be found in specialty-food stores and at farmers’ markets. Mrs. Kennedy likes to cook everything separately before adding to the broth, to create a more intense flavor. She uses Lyophylum decastes (fried chicken mushrooms), but any wild mushroom will work in the recipe.