Pan-fried Wild Mushrooms with Parmesan and Thyme Butter

There are a lot of things I love about mushrooms.  But one of my favorite mushroom stories actually involves Thatbrother. 

I love my brother, but like everyone else in our family he often speaks with authority about things he knows little about.  It's a family trait.  I'm not sure if it's learned or inherited, but there you go.

Like many Thatbrother stories, I don't remember the exact context of this one.  But like many Thatbrother stories what I do remember is the tagline - mushrooms are full of protein.  It's become a running joke in our house when talking about vegetables. 

I can see where he got this idea.  Portobellos are often subbed in for hamburger patties.  But it's not due to their high protein content, it's due to the fact they are so delicious on their own they work as a great meat substitute.

Mushrooms are fantastic like that.  You can make a whole meal out of them!  I mean, I enjoy celery as much as the next person, but when was the last time you made a bowl of celery and just sat and enjoyed?  There is nothing decadent about celery.

But a bowl of mushrooms, sauteed in butter and cream, topped with cheese?  Well that's just about indulgent as a "side dish" can get.

Pan-fried Wild Mushrooms with Parmesan & Thyme Butter
8oz wild mushrooms
2 Tbsp olive oil
2 Tbsp unsalted butter
1 Tbsp thyme leaves
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsp chives
4 Tbsp Parmesan shavings

1. Heat the oil in a skillet.  Cut the mushrooms into thin slices and add to skillet.  Saute for 2-3 minutes or until golden brown and tender.
2. Add the butter and thyme to the skillet. 
3. Once the butter starts to melt, stir in the cream and chives.  Cook for another 203 minutes until slightly reduced, stirring occasionally. 
4. Divide the mushroom mixture among warmed wide-rimmed bowls and scatter the Parmesan shavings on top.  Serve immediately with some crusty bread.

Date Night: Portabello Mushrooms with Polenta

So if you read my monthly updates, you probably are well aware that we are complete slackers in the "find a babysitter" department.  But a couple of weeks ago, we found a way to enjoy a date night, even without having a babysitter!  And without having to pay for childcare, this also became one of the cheapest dates we will ever go on.

What is this magical date locale?  Why the local drive-in!

Thatboy had never been to a drive-in before, and I hadn't been since high school.  But there's no time like the present, right?  We did a quick and easy dinner at home, made some popcorn, bundled Thatbaby up in his pajamas, and headed out.

Thatbaby fell asleep before we even arrived at the theater.  And he stayed that way through both of the movies, and the way home, and until the next morning.

We paid $16 and got to see Oz the Great and Powerful and Jack the Giant Slayer.  We ate popcorn with parmesan and truffle salt.  We drank some wine during the first movie.  We enjoyed some time, just the two of us - even though there were 3 in the car.  It was some of the most fun we've had in a very long time and I can't wait to do it again!

The key ingredient in this is a meal that doesn't take too long to make so we can head out to the movies.  Like these mushrooms with polenta.  While the mushrooms roasted, I threw together the polenta, sauteed the greens, and popped the popcorn.  Which means, within half an hour after getting home, we were eating.

Even though this meal also is vegetarian and featured mushrooms, Thatboy told me it as delicious and I could make meals like this anytime I wanted.  Meaty portobellos are a crowd pleaser just about everywhere.

Portabello Mushrooms with Polenta

2 portobello mushrooms, cut into eighths

2 Tbsp olive oil

2 cloves garlic, divided, minced

4 1/2 cups water

1 1/2 tsp salt

1 tsp pepper

3/4 cup polenta

2 Tbsp butter

1 cup cheddar cheese, grated

1 bunch swiss chard, chopped

1 bunch of spinach, chopped

1. Preheat oven to 400.  Place mushroom eighths on a baking sheet and drizzle with a tablespoon of olive oil, 1 garlic clove and some salt and pepper to taste.  Roast for 25 minutes.
2. Bring the water, salt, and pepper to boil.  Whisk in polenta and lower heat to a simmer.  Cook until polenta thickens and pulls from the sides of the pan.
3. Stir in the butter and cheese.
4.  Heat the remaining oil in a skillet.  And the remaining garlic clove and saute just until fragrant.  Add the chard and spinach and saute for 5 minutes, until the chard is tender.  
5. Stir the mushroom into the chard and spinach and cook until heated through.  Serve the mushroom/green mixture over the polenta.

Stuffed

Mascarpone is kind of an interesting cheese.  Cheese aren't typically thought of as "sweets" although the traditional cheese plate is served as a dessert. 

And yet, it is ridiculously difficult to find a savory recipe using mascarpone.  I originally bought it to make the Shells with Sausage, Beans and Mascarpone.  And in my new quest to make use of those ingredients I buy, (which is going really well by the way.  It's nice not having a refrigerator crammed to the gills with different things) I tried to find something to make with the remainder.

I could have taken the easy way out and used it to make tiramisu, frosting, or some other sweet dessert.  But now that I'm not in training for a half marathon, there are far less desserts going on in Thathouse. 

I was able to stumble upon an Ina Garten recipe that seemed like the perfect use for my cheese - mushroom caps stuffed with sausage, mascarpone, and panko.  These would be an excellent appetizer if you're entertaining.  The panko makes the stuffing nice and crispy and the spice of the sausage perfectly complements the sweetness of the cheese.

But instead of serving these as an appetizer, Thatboy and I made a whole meal out of them.  We've been known to do that sometimes.  With a nice glass of wine, a plateful of stuffed mushrooms is a delightful way to spend the evening.

Sausage Stuffed Mushrooms (From Ina Garten)

16 extra-large white mushrooms
5 tablespoons good olive oil, divided
2 1/2 tablespoons Marsala wine or medium sherry
3/4 pound sweet Italian sausage, removed from the casings
6 scallions, white and green parts, minced
2 garlic cloves minced
2/3 cup panko crumbs
5 ounces mascarpone cheese, preferably from Italy
1/3 cup freshly grated Parmesan
2 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh parsley leaves
Salt and freshly ground black pepper 

1. Preheat the oven to 325 degree. Remove the stems from the mushrooms and chop them finely. Set aside. Place the mushroom caps in a shallow bowl and toss with 3 tablespoons of the olive oil and Marsala. Set aside.
2.  Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Add the sausage, crumbling it with the back of a wooden spoon. Cook the sausage for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring frequently, until it's completely browned. 
3. Add the chopped mushroom stems and cook for 3 more minutes. 
4. Stir in the scallions and garlic and cook for another 2 to 3 minutes, stirring occasionally. 
5. Add the panko crumbs, stirring to combine evenly with all the other ingredients. 
6. Finally, swirl in the mascarpone and continue cooking until the mascarpone has melted and made the sausage mixture creamy. 
7. Off the heat, stir in the Parmesan, parsley, and season with salt and pepper, to taste, Cool slightly.
8. Fill each mushroom generously with the sausage mixture. Arrange the mushrooms in a baking dish large enough to hold all the mushrooms in a snug single layer. Bake until the stuffing for 50 minutes, until the stuffing is browned and crusty.

Missed out on my beets!

Let today serve as a lesson to everyone. I went down to the farmer's market and saw some beautiful beets. I know they are fantastic, because I picked them up 2 weeks ago and used them in just about everything.

Making a mental note to return for the beets, I headed to pick up a quick lunch. On my way back the beets were gone. GONE! Sold out. Not a one left. I was so sad. Next week the beet lady will be my first stop.

Instead I picked up some more mandarins for my ever dwindling supply. How is it that even though I am constantly buying them they always seem to disappear. More tomatoes (you're not really surprised are you?) and some green peppers. My egg guy wasn't there this week, which is a little sad since I love buying my eggs at the market, watching him go through each dozen to find me the "best" one.

I have plans for all those produce, but of course, none will be featured tonight. I have to keep you guys coming back, don't I? I know right now you're sitting on the edge of your seats just wondering what tomato dish I can screw up next. Many of you will toss and turn tonight over my disappearing citrus dilemma. I get it, it's slow on television right now. Although, tonight marks the return of new Vampire Diaries AND America's Best Dance Crew, so Thathouse is full of happiness.

Happiness and mushrooms. Normally the two of those together lead to far different connotations. And one day I'll tell you the story about my crazy dream that involved mushrooms and the Beatles. Well, nevermind because that's pretty much the dream right there. I guess I'm not so good at previews.

Tonight I'm presenting a dish that uses a lot of mushrooms, in a sauce that coats a flavorful ground beef. So much better than your average meatloaf. I served them aside some mushrooms and peas, just in case the sauce wasn't mushroomy enough for you.

Cannelon of Beef (From the Fannie Farmer Cookbook)
2 lbs ground beef
grated rind of 1/2 lemon
2 Tbsp minced parsley
1 egg
2 Tbsp minced onion
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1 tsp nutmeg
1/2 tsp salt
1/4 tsp ground pepper
4 slices salt pork
Mushroom Sauce (recipe to follow)

1. Preheat oven to 400. Combine the beef, lemon rind, parley, egg, onion, melted butter, nutmeg, salt and pepper. Mix until very well blended. Chill and then shape into a roll.
2. Place on rack in roasting pan, arrange slices of salt pork over the top and bake for 30 minutes.
3. Serve with mushroom sauce.

Mushroom Sauce (From the Fannie Farmer Cookbook)
5 Tbsp butter
1/2 lbs mushrooms, sliced
2 Tbsp flour
Juice of 1/2 lemon
1 cup heavy cream
salt to taste

1. Melt the butter in a large skillet. Stir in the mushrooms and cook for 2-3 minutes until they darken a little.
2. Stir in the flour, blend to smooth, and cook 2 minutes.
3. Slowly stir in lemon juice, cream, and salt, and cook until hot.
   

Animal, Vegetable, or Mineral?

Today on my cooking board a very controversial question was brought up. It's a question you probably haven't given much thought to, but once I tell you what it is, you're going to think.

Do you consider mushrooms a vegetable?

My initial gut reaction was "yes, of course. They're certainly not a fruit."

But then I really thought about it. Just because something isn't a fruit, doesn't really make it a vegetable. And if I were trying to get in my daily vegetable intake, I probably wouldn't count mushrooms. In fact, if I were serving mushrooms in a dish, I would definitely serve a vegetable to go with them.

And I think I've mentioned time and time again that Thatbrother considers mushrooms a protein, which would be the same category as chicken or fish. (I think that might be a bit of a stretch)

So where do I put mushrooms? I mean, I know they're a fungus, that's not really the point. But in terms of "food groups" where do they fit? For me, they probably in the "accessory" column. Like olives (which I know is a fruit, but probably won't go in my fruit salad).

Instead, they're used for that little added "oomph" whether that be raw in salads or cooked on pizza or sauces. In fact mushrooms are a key ingredient in the classic dish of stroganoff. I think most common recipes tend to use cream of mushroom soup. Honestly, I'm not a fan of cream of mushroom soup. It tends to be high in sodium and other ingredients I can't pronounce. And it's not really necessary. You can get a nice and creamy sauce by combining fresh mushrooms and sour cream. And sour cream is a cream I can fully support. I also have a tip about sour cream (similar to my tip about cottage cheese) low fat is just about as low fat as I can go. Fat free sour cream just doesn't blend into things well and it has that plasticy texture I just can't get over.

Traditionalists may serve this over noodles, but I stick with brown rice. Why distract from that beautiful mushroom flavor? Besides, I'm willing to bet that if you serve it over noodles you won't be adding in any real vegetables. But there is a better chance that if you serve it with rice some lovely broccoli or green beans might also make it on to your plate.

Beef Stroganoff
3 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp onion, minced
1 lb beef tenderloin, cut into thin strips
1/4 lb sliced mushrooms
salt and pepper
sprinkle nutmeg
1/2 cup sour cream

1. Melt half the butter in a skillet. Cook the onions in the butter until see through. Remove from the skillet.
2. Brown the beef in the skillet. Remove and place with the onions.
3. Add the rest of the butter to the skillet and add mushrooms. Cover and cook 3 minutes. Season with salt, pepper, and nutmeg.
4. Whisk in the sour cream and heat without allowing to boil.
5. Return the beef and onions to the sauce and heat until warm.