How-To: Reconstitute Dried Mushrooms
Follow these simple steps to reconstitute the beautiful mushrooms for this week’s risotto.
Ingredients:
Dried wild mushrooms
Tools:
Medium saucepan
Handheld strainer
2-3 cups warm water, stock or wine
Method:
1. Place mushrooms in a medium saucepan. (Dried mushrooms will reconstitute to 6-8 times their dry weight.)
2. Cover mushrooms with warm water, stock or wine. Bring to a boil, then turn off heat. Allow to soak in liquid for at least 15-20 minutes; gradually the mushrooms will begin to soak in moisture and plump.
3. Drain mushrooms of liquid with the strainer. Reserve the flavorful soaking liquid for use in soup, stocks and more! Briefly sauté the reconstituted mushrooms in a little butter or olive oil, add a splash of white wine if desired, add salt and pepper to taste, and then use according to your recipe.
Pan-Fried Oyster Mushrooms with Garlic
A rustic and beautiful side dish, these easy pan-fried mushrooms taste meaty and garlicky, yet delicate and fresh.
Ingredients:
1 pound Oyster mushrooms, cleaned and cut into evenly sized pieces
2 tablespoons butter
1 tablespoon olive oil
2 cloves garlic, peeled and smashed
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper, to taste
Method:
1. Place butter and olive oil in a heavy skillet set over medium-high heat. When the butter is melted, add the mushrooms to the skillet in one single layer.
2. Cook the mushrooms for 2 minutes, or until golden. Flip over the mushrooms and add the smashed garlic to the skillet. Reduce heat to medium-low; season with salt and pepper and continue to cook the mushrooms until they start to brown, spooning the butter over the mushrooms as they cook.
3. Remove from heat. Add more salt and pepper, as needed, and serve.
Cinnamon Cap Mushroom & Ricotta Crostini
This elegant little starter is a beautiful showcase for this week’s Cinnamon Cap mushrooms.
Ingredients:
Extra-virgin olive oil
3 ounces Cinnamon Cap mushrooms, wiped clean and trimmed
1 clove of garlic, peeled and finely chopped
2 miniature sweet red peppers, seeded and sliced
4 tablespoons ricotta, drained
A few sprouts of chives, or other combination of fresh herbs, such as parsley or lovage, snipped
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
4 slices Italian Rustica bread
Method:
1. Set a heavy frying pan, big enough to hold all the mushrooms in one layer, over medium high heat and add a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. Add the garlic and shake the pan to coat the garlic and keep it from sticking, cooking until fragrant, about 1-2 minutes. Add mushrooms and peppers, salt and pepper and fry gently for a few minutes until peppers have softened and mushrooms are golden.
2. Meanwhile, drizzle the bread slices with a bit of olive oil and toast under the broiler on both sides. When toasted, divide ricotta and sautéed vegetables between the slices. Sprinkle with the snipped herbs and serve immediately.
Roasted Oyster Mushrooms
Roasting these mushrooms in the oven lends rich, concentrated flavor—delicious!
Ingredients:
1½ pounds Oyster mushrooms, halved if large
4 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, diced
½ cup chicken stock
¼ cup olive oil
Freshly-chopped parsley
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°.
2. Arrange the mushroom slices on a large rimmed baking sheet in a slightly overlapping layer. Dot the mushrooms with butter and drizzle with the chicken stock and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
3. Roast the mushrooms in the center of the oven for about 20 minutes, turning occasionally, until the stock has evaporated and the mushrooms are tender and lightly browned in spots. Blot with paper towels and transfer to a plate. Sprinkle the mushrooms with the parsley and serve.
Pappardelle Pasta with Sautéed Chanterelle Mushrooms & Herbs
Rich with locally-foraged mushrooms and herbs, this pasta beautifully captures the flavors of fall.
Ingredients:
1 pound semolina pappardelle
2 cups Chanterelle mushrooms, washed and patted dry
¼ cup chicken stock
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, divided in half
1 tablespoon olive oil
¼ cup combined fresh chopped parsley, sage and thyme
2 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
¼ cup grated Pecorino or Parmesan cheese (optional)
Method:
1. Bring a large pot of heavily salted water to a boil over medium-high heat. Drop in pasta noodles and cook until al dente, about 5 to 7 minutes. Drain and rinse, reserving ½ cup of the starchy cooking liquid.
2. Meanwhile, in a large sauté pan, melt 1 tablespoon butter with the olive oil over medium heat, stirring to combine. Add Chanterelle mushrooms and garlic and sauté 2-3 minutes until mushrooms are soft and tender and then add chicken stock and cook until reduced slightly, another 3-4 minutes. Add in fresh herbs and season generously with salt and pepper.
3. Add in drained pasta and toss everything together. Add in reserved 1 tablespoon of butter and grated cheese, and mix to distribute. If pasta seems dry, add in reserved cooking liquid 1 tablespoon at a time until adequately moist.
Pan-Fried Mushrooms
Crispy, garlicky, and delicious, these mushrooms make an incredible side dish.
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 12 ounces mushrooms, such as this week’s blue Oyster and King Trumpet varieties, cut into evenly sized pieces
- 3 garlic cloves smashed
- 5 sprigs of thyme
- 2 tablespoons grass-fed butter
- Sea salt and black pepper to taste
Method
- Heat the olive oil in a large, heavy skillet over medium high heat.
- Spread the mushrooms out in a single layer in the pan. Cook, undisturbed for 3-5 minutes until they start to brown. Stir the mushrooms and cook for another 3-5 minutes until browned all over.
- Add the butter, garlic, and thyme to the skillet and reduce the heat to low. Cook for another 5-6 minutes, spooning the ghee/butter over the mushrooms until they are dark brown and slightly crispy.
- Remove the thyme springs and season the mushrooms with salt and pepper to taste. Enjoy!
Ingredients | |
---|---|
10 | ingredient |
Roasted King Trumpet Mushrooms
Thick, meaty slices of this mushroom variety are roasted in the oven for a rich, concentrated flavor.
Ingredients:
1 ½ pounds King Trumpet mushrooms, thickly sliced
4 tablespoons butter, sliced
½ cup chicken stock
¼ cup olive oil
2 tablespoons parsley chopped
Sea salt and fresh ground pepper
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 425°. Arrange the mushroom slices on a large rimmed baking sheet in a slightly overlapping layer. Dot the mushrooms with the butter and drizzle with the chicken stock and olive oil. Season with salt and pepper.
2. Roast the mushrooms in the center of the oven for about 50 minutes, turning occasionally, until the stock has evaporated and the mushrooms are tender and lightly browned in spots. Blot with paper towels and transfer to a plate. Sprinkle with the parsley and serve.
Baby Shiitake Mushroom Risotto
Topped with sautéed mushrooms, this creamy and delicious risotto is a favorite here at the farm.
Ingredients:
1½ cups Arborio rice
4 cups chicken stock
½ cup white wine (if desired)
½ finely chopped onions or shallots
1-2 tablespoons chopped garlic (if desired)
8 tablespoons butter or olive oil (can use a mixture)
¼ cup grated Grana cheese
2 tablespoons chopped parsley
2 cups baby Shiitake mushrooms, sautéed in butter
Sea salt and ground pepper to taste
Method:
1. In a saucepan, bring the chicken stock to a boil and then turn down to a simmer to keep hot.
2. In another large saucepan over medium low heat, melt 4-5 tablespoons of butter and cook the onions until soft but not brown. Add garlic and continue cooking for about 2 minutes. Turn the heat up and add the Arborio rice, stir for about one minute. Add a ladleful of stock to the rice and continue stirring until almost absorbed.
3. Add another ladleful of stock and the wine (if using) and continue stirring. Repeat until all the stock is gone and the rice is creamy and tender.
4. Stir in the remaining butter and grated Grana until melted. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Add a generous helping of sautéed mushrooms to each portion of risotto, and sprinkle with fresh parsley and a grating of Grana-style cheese before serving.
Variation: Give this risotto a springtime twist by adding coarsely-chopped pea shoots, blanched peas and crispy pancetta as well!
Grilled Nebrodini Mushrooms
A fantastic side to grilled chicken, pork or steak!
Ingredients:
8 ounces Nebrodini mushrooms
3 tablespoons olive oil
½ teaspoon dried basil
1 teaspoon minced garlic
¼ teaspoon salt
A few grinds of fresh black pepper
Method:
1. Wash and dry the mushrooms, then slice into halves, or quarters if especially large.
2. Combine the olive oil and seasonings. Brush both sides of the sliced mushrooms with the oil mixture.
3. Grill the mushrooms over medium-low heat on a barbecue, flipping once, until they are tender and show grill marks. Remove from the heat and enjoy! (Alternatively, you can cook the mushrooms in a lightly-oiled cast iron skillet on the stovetop, or roast in the oven at 425°.
Apple-Pear Galette with Smokey Blue Cheese
Slice this beautiful tart into wedges and serve as an appetizer!
Ingredients:
Farm & Larder galette dough, chilled
1 Lady apple
2 red pears
2 tablespoons butter
2 shallots
½ cup Rogue Creamery smokey blue cheese
¼ cup walnuts, chopped
Method:
1. Preheat the oven to 400°. Peel, halve and core the apples and pears and slice into ¼-inch thick pieces. In a small skillet, melt butter over medium heat. Add shallots; cook 2 to 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until tender; remove from heat.
2. On a lightly floured work surface, roll the pastry into a 12-by-14-inch rectangle and transfer to a large rimmed baking sheet. Decoratively arrange the apple and pears slices over the pastry to within an inch of the edge. Spread the shallots over top in an even layer, then fold the pastry edge up and over the fruit mixture to create a 1-inch border.
3. Bake for about 40 minutes, until the pastry is starting to brown and the fruit is tender. Sprinkle the galette with chopped walnuts and bake an additional 10 minutes, then remove from the oven and sprinkle over the crumbled blue cheese. Transfer the pan to a rack and let the galette cool. Slice into wedges and serve warm or at room temperature.