I just bought a quarter pound of shitake mushrooms and a quarter pound of portabellas this morning, more or less on a whim. The guy at the farmers market selling them was awfully cute.
So what should I make with them? I have kitchen staples at home and I’m willing to run to the grocery store.
I made Marcella Hazan’s pasta with 4 mushrooms and ground veal the other day, and it was amazing. Takes a while to make - the mushrooms need to cook for 1.5 hours - but well worth it.
I can’t seem to find the recipe online, but would be happy to post it if you’re interested.
Badger Badger Badger Badger
For something quick, perhaps a mushroom omelette.
I’m intrigued… please post!
Beef Stroganoff?
Make him some cream of mushroom soup.
Mushroom risotto.
Tyler Florence has a great recipe I’ve used in the past. The truffle oil is nice but the recipe still works well without it.
Here ya go, mostly from this most excellent cookbook.
It doesn’t call for portabellas, but I don’t see why you couldn’t substitute them for one of the others.
And for those who don’t like veal - ground beef or pork will work fine.
Veal Pasta Sauce with Four Different Varieties of Mushrooms
2 oz dried Porcini
6 oz shiitake mushrooms
6 oz cremini mushrooms
8 oz white button mushrooms
4 T. olive oil
1 cup onion, chopped fine
salt
4 T. butter
1 cup onion, chopped fine
1 pound ground veal (or beef, or pork)
1 cup dry white wine
pepper
6 plum tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and chopped
nutmeg
For the mushrooms:
Reconstitute the dried porcinis in 1.5 cups hot water. Let 'em sit for about 30 minutes.
Wash all the other mushrooms and slice thinly.
After the porcinis are done soaking, remove them from the water. If the water is gritty, strain through a coffee filter or fine mesh strainer. Chop the mushrooms if they’re big, reserve the soaking water.
Heat a 12 inch frying pan over medium high, add the oil, add the onions. Saute until they’re golden, add the porcini. Cook for a minute or two, then add the water from their soak.
When the water has mostly evaporated, add the other mushrooms and sprinkle with salt. Cook on medium low, occasionally stirring, for 90 minutes.
For the Veal:
While the mushrooms are cooking, put the butter and onions in another pan, saute the onions until golden. Add the ground meat, brown. Add the wine and salt & pepper. Continue cooking until the wine evaporates, then add the tomatoes. Turn heat down, cook for 45 minutes.
When everything’s done, mix it all together, add the nutmeg. Serve with penne or rigatoni. It’s enough for a pound of dried pasta.
Hobbit traps?
I just made this yesterday, and it turned out awesome. It should work just as well with a half lb of mushrooms.
Sautee them in butter and olive oil with shallots and garlic. Then toss with farfalle, fresh lemon juice, thyme, and shaved parmesean.
I swear to Og, I read the title as “What should I take?”
A different type of thread entirely.
I ended up making an altered, based on what I had in my kitchen, but tasty version of Athena’s recipe. Italian sausage for the veal and chicken stock in place of the white wine.
and wine.
This, full stop. Either as a side to a steak, or topping for a burger.
Saute them oil and garlic - put the results on top of something plain like pasta or lightly seasoned meat. Any of the additions like Mooch and Magiver suggest are even better.
Go back tomorrow and get a pound of each.
I just bought The Other Shoe some shiitakes so he could make hot n sour soup. IIRC he uses the Cook’s Illustrated version, but Google around and you’ll find tons of recipes. Chicken broth, mushrooms, vinegar, tofu, and some beaten egg stirred in at the end. I think he used spicy sesame oil for the heat but I’m not certain. Chili flakes would work too.
My daughter just made a mushroom and marshmallow and bubble pie out of some oyster mushrooms with chocolate flavor that she picked in the living room. She said it tasted good.