The fervor over fresh veggies is high at the moment, what with outdoor markets opening and gardens growing right and left. But since much local fare is still in the bedding-plant stage, there aren't a great many vegetable choices just yet. To the rescue come mushroom vendors - the growers who bring us white buttons, criminis, oysters, portobellos and other cultivated varieties, plus those hard-hunting morel foragers, whose brief but much-lauded season is upon us.
With their characteristic meaty savor (now commonly known as umami), mushrooms are a neat solution to an omnivore's "flesh or plants tonight?" dilemma. Storage and preparation are thankfully simple. First, keep them in a paper bag, since plastic cuts off air and hastens rot. Second, if they're dirty, rinse them, but do this just before cooking time and blot them dry on paper towels, to prevent water absorption (read: mushiness). Farmed fungi often need only be swiped with a damp towel.
Third, cook them as you like - sautéed, stir-fried, grilled. Stewed, simmered, baked. Okay, so technically mushrooms aren't vegetables, but they sure help the season taste fresh.
Warm Mushroom Salad on Spring Greens
Dressing:
- 1 tablespoon vinegar (your favorite)
- 1/2 teaspoon Dijon mustard
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- salt and pepper
Salad:
- 2-3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 pound fresh mushrooms (crimini, morels, oyster, button, etc.), sliced
- 1/4 cup chopped spring garlic shoots or ramps
- 1/4 cup dry white wine
- 1 to 1-1/2 cups loosely packed spring herbs (parsley, chives, sorrel, cilantro, etc.), chopped
- 4-6 cups mesclun (assorted young salad leaves)
- 1/4 cup crumbled goat's or sheep's milk feta
Prepare dressing: Combine vinegar and mustard. Whisk in oil a little at a time. Add salt and pepper as needed.
Cook mushrooms: Heat oil in one large or two medium skillets over medium flame. Add garlic shoots or ramps and cook 10-20 seconds. Raise heat to medium-high, add mushrooms and cook, stirring often, until tender. Stir wine into pan and let liquid reduce to a glaze. Let stand 5 minutes to cool slightly, then stir in herbs plus salt and pepper as needed.
Finish salad: Toss greens with just enough dressing to lightly coat them. Mound on serving plates, top with mushrooms and sprinkle with cheese. Serve pronto. Makes 4 servings.
Mushroom Barley Risotto
- 5 tablespoons butter, divided
- 3/4 pound fresh mushrooms (wild or cultivated), quartered
- salt and pepper
- 5-6 cups chicken or mushroom stock
- 1/2 cup chopped green onions
- 1 cup medium pearl barley
- 2/3 cup dry white wine
- salt and pepper
- 1/2-2/3 cup grated Parmesan or Asiago, divided
Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large skillet. Add mushrooms and sauté until tender. Season with salt and pepper. Meanwhile, heat stock and keep it warm.
Heat 2 tablespoons of the butter in a large saucepan over medium flame. Add onions and cook 2-3 minutes. Add barley and stir until grains are butter-coated, 1-2 minutes. Add wine; stir and cook until most of the liquid is gone.
Stir in half the stock, cover and simmer until most of the liquid is absorbed, stirring occasionally. Uncover and add mushrooms. Add the remaining stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring and cooking until most of the liquid is absorbed before adding more. Stop adding stock when barley is creamy and tender. Add salt and pepper as needed. Stir in half the cheese and the last tablespoon of butter. Serve pronto with additional cheese sprinkled over each portion. Makes 6 servings.