Pan Fried Mushrooms with Crispy Polenta

Ingredients
2 tbs. olive oil, divided
2 tbs. butter, divided
2.5 cups mushrooms, rinsed and loosely chopped
1 teaspoon dry thyme
1/4 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
2 oz. dry white wine, Savingnon Blanc
12 oz. ready-made polenta
1 teaspoon ground garlic
Salt and pepper to taste
Pinch of red pepper flakes


Directions

1. Melt 1 tbs. butter and olive oil in large skillet over medium high heat until it begins to froth, about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, thyme, salt and black pepper. Cook about 10 minutes, until browned, stirring occasionally. Add white wine and cook until liquid is reduced. Reduce heat.
2. Meanwhile, cut polenta into 1/3-inch sections. In second skillet, melt 1 tbs. butter and 1 tbs. olive oil over medium heat until it begins to froth. Add ground garlic and stir. Evenly distribute polenta in skillet and cook for about 5 minutes on each side, until golden brown and crisp.
3. Season mushrooms to taste with salt, pepper and red pepper flakes. Plate polenta and stack with mushrooms. Serve immediately.

Creamy Grilled Chicken Inasal

Mushroom Parcel

Ingredients
4 small Yukon potatoes, cooked and quartered (skin on)
4 cups mushroom cleaned and chopped, portobello, crimini, button
1 tbs. fresh tarragon, chopped fine
1 tbs. rosemary, chopped fine
4 garlic cloves, crushed
2 tbs. olive oil
1/2 cup heavy cream or plain yogurt
2 tbs. vermouth
1/4 teaspoon Sriracha sauce
Kosher salt and black pepper to taste

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Place potatoes in a small saucepan and bring water to a roiling boil. Reduce heat and cover.
3. Meanwhile, prep mushrooms, slicing into roughly equal sizes. Place in large mixing bowl. Add quartered potatoes. Add rosemary, tarragon and garlic. Then add heavy cream, olive oil, vermouth and Sriracha. Fold gently, adding salt and pepper to taste.
4. Tear 2 long sections of butcher paper, about 20 inches.
5. Line a 2-cup bowl with butcher paper, add half the mix. Bunch ends of paper together and twist, forming a softball-sized pouch. Repeat with remaining mix. Seal pouches with twine. Place on baking sheet and then place sheet on the center rack of oven and cook for about 20 minutes, or until aromatic. Remove from oven and serve.

Creamy Fruit Salad

Mushroom Ratatouille

When gardens are bursting with vegetables, make ratatouille. Mushrooms make an excellent addition.

Ingredients
1 medium eggplant, cubed
1 teaspoon salt
1 lb. large button mushrooms, rinsed and sliced
1 medium yellow onion, diced
4 cloves garlic, minced
2 tbs. fresh parsley, chopped fine
1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes
1 large red bell pepper, cut into ribbons
2 Roma tomatoes, cut into moons
4 tbs. olive oil, divided
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tbs. lemon juice


Directions

1. Toss cubed eggplant with salt in large mixing bowl. Cover and set aside for about 30 minutes. Meanwhile, prep the remaining vegetables in the order listed. Pat dry eggplant with paper towels to remove excess moisture.
2. Heat 2 tbs. olive oil over medium high heat in large skillet, about 2 minutes. Add eggplant and cook for 10 minutes until browned. Return to mixing bowl.
3. Add 1 tbs. olive to pan and cook mushrooms for about 10 minutes, until golden brown. Add to eggplant in bowl.
4. Add 1 tbs. olive oil to pan, cook onions until tender about 5 or 6 minutes. Bank onions to the side of skillet, add garlic and cook until fragrant about 1 minute. Combine with onion. Add parsley and red pepper flakes to vegetables and stir. Bank cooked onions to the side of pan.
5. Then add bell pepper, cook 2 or 3 minutes, until slightly tender. Add tomatoes, cook 2 minutes. Combine with onions, eggplant and mushrooms. Reduce heat and simmer, about 10 minutes. Season to taste with salt, pepper and lemon juice.
6. Plate entrée with a cooked grain and serve.

Creamy Fresh Mushroom Soup

Caramelized Onions and Mushrooms Puff Pastry

Stacking flavors and textures on top of each other strikes a lovely balance between decadence and goodness. This recipe relies on basic food items that can be found in most supermarkets.


Ingredients

1 puff pastry sheet (thawed as directed)
1 tbs. olive oil
1 tbs. butter
1 large yellow onion, peeled and sliced
1 garlic clove, minced
4 cups button mushrooms, cleaned and sliced
1 tbs. fresh thyme, chopped fine
2 oz. dry white wine
1 cup Swiss cheese, grated
Fresh thyme to garnish (optional)


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Thaw pastry according to package directions.
3. Melt butter and olive oil in skillet over medium high heat. Add onions and garlic, cook for about 10 minutes. Then add mushrooms, cooking about 10 minutes more, stirring occasionally until the mushrooms are browned. Add thyme, stir until aromatic, and then add white wine. Cook ingredients until the wine is reduced, leaving mushrooms and onion.
4. Meanwhile, unfold puff pastry on baking sheet. Place in the oven and bake about 10 minutes until pastry rises. Prick a few holes in pastry sheet to allow air to escape. Remove from oven to cool slightly. Reduce heat to 350 degrees.
5. Place onions and mushrooms on pastry sheet, layer with cheese. Return pastry to oven until cheese melts and edges of pastry turn golden brown, about 10 minutes.

Creamy Cajun Chicken Wings

Stuffed Crimini Mushrooms

Ingredients

14-16 crimini mushrooms, wiped and stemmed
Canola or olive oil spray
6 oz. ricotta cheese
2 garlic glove cloves, minced
2 tbs. + 1/2 teaspoon pesto
2 tbs. Parmesan cheese, grated
1 tbs. lemon juice


Directions

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Lightly grease baking sheet. Rub tops of mushrooms to remove grit. Place mushrooms on sheet and place in preheated oven. Cook mushrooms for 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, combine ricotta, garlic, pesto, Parmesan and lemon juice in mixing bowl. Fold ingredients until blended, about 1 minute.
4. Remove mushrooms from oven, allow mushrooms to cool briefly and add about 1 tablespoon ricotta filling to each one. Return to oven and cook 20 minutes, until mushrooms are tender. Reserve liquid and combine with 1 tablespoon olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon pesto.
5. Plate mushrooms on serving dish. Drizzle liquid over mushrooms and serve warm.