Warm Shiitake, Arugula & Red Pepper Salad with Garlic Toasts
8 slices Italian or French bread
2 cloves garlic, halved
6 ounces fresh shiitake
1/4 teaspoon salt
freshly ground black pepper
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 bunches arugula, stemmed, rinsed and dried, about 4 cups
2 sweet yellow or red bell peppers, seeded and diced
2 ounces country ham or prosciutto, cut into julienne strips (1/4 cup)
1 lemon, sliced into 4 wedges
- Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Set bread slices on baking sheet and bake 10 minutes. Rub each top side generously with garlic. Bake about 5 minutes longer or until golden. Cut slices in half and set aside.
- Reserve shiitake stems for another purpose. Clean caps with soft brush. Slice into thin strips. Combine with salt, black pepper and 1 tablespoon of oil. Toss to coat thoroughly. Let stand 10 minutes, tossing now and then.
- Divide arugula among 4 salad plates.
- In large heavy skillet, heat remaining oil over medium high heat. Add shiitake and stir fry until softened, 2-3 minutes. Add peppers and toss for 30 seconds to heat through. Add ham, toss and season with salt and pepper. Quickly spoon the warm mixture onto the arugula. Place 1 lemon wedge and 4 garlic toasts on each plate. Serve at once to 4 diners.
Chanterelle-Potato Salad with Pancetta, Shallots and Thyme
12 ounces fresh chanterelle mushrooms, cleaned and torn into 1" pieces
6 ounces pancetta or thick cut bacon, diced
3 pounds baby Yukon Gold potatoes, halved lengthwise (if potatoes are longer than 2 inches cut into quarters)
4 medium cloves garlic, minced
2 teaspoons fresh thyme leaves
1 1/2 teaspoons kosher salt, divided
3/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, divided
2 tablespoons butter
1 medium shallot, minced
1/3 cup white wine
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon chopped chives
1/2 cup white vinaigrette (recipe follows)
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
- Cook pancetta in large frying pan over medium high heat until crisp and browned, about 7 minutes. Transfer to paper towels, reserving drippings.
- Toss potatoes with 3 tablespoons reserved pancetta drippings, garlic, thyme, 1 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon pepper. Divide potatoes between two 9 x 13 inch glass baking dishes. Bake, stirring every 10 minutes, until tender, well browned, and crispy, about 25-35 minutes. Remove from oven and keep warm.
- Melt butter in large frying pan over medium high heat. Add shallot and cook until soft, 1 minute. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until browned, 5-6 minutes. Add wine, remaining salt and pepper. Scrape up browned bits and cook until liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes.
- In a large bowl, toss potatoes, mushrooms, pancetta, tarragon and chives. Drizzle with vinaigrette.
White Wine Vinaigrette
Place in a blender: 1/4 cup white wine vinegar, 2/3 cup vegetable oil, 2/3 cup olive oil, 1 chopped shallot and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Blend at medium speed until mixture is pale yellow and emulsified.
8 servings.
Truffle Vinaigrette
Combine:
1 part red wine vinegar
3 parts olive oil
chopped shallot
salt and pepper to taste
truffle shavings
- Serve over mixed wild greens.
Mushrooms in Ginger Sauce
2 tablespoons butter
1/3 cup chopped green onions
1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro
1 tablespoons grated fresh ginger
4 cloves of garlic, minced
12 ounces of fresh mushrooms
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup unsweetened coconut milk
1 tablespoon lime juice
steamed vegetables such as green beans
- In a large skillet heat butter over medium high heat. Add green onions, cilantro, ginger and garlic. Cook and stir 1 minute.
- Stir in mushrooms and soy sauce. Cook 2 minutes. Stir in coconut milk. Bring to boil. Reduce heat. Simmer, uncovered, about 5 minutes or until sauce thickens. Remove from heat. Stir in lime juice.
Soy Braised Mushrooms
2 ounces dried whole shiitake mushrooms, 2-3 inches wide
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup dry sherry
2 tablespoons sugar
8 thin slices ginger
3 cloves garlic, peeled
1 teaspoon sesame oil
thinly sliced green onions
- Rinse mushrooms well and place in 2 quart pan. Cover with hot water and let stand until soft, 15-20 minutes. Lift mushrooms out and trim off and discard tough stems. Slowly pour 2 cups of the soaking water into a glass measure and reserve. Discard remaining water with sediment.
- Rinse pan and return mushrooms and reserved soaking water to it. Add soy sause, sherry and sugar. Lightly crush ginger and garlic with the flat side of knife and add to pan.
- Cover pan and bring to a boil over high heat. Reduce heat and simmer until mushrooms are tender to bite, 15-20 minutes. Uncover and boil over high heat until most of the moisture is evaporated, about 15 minutes. Remove garlic. Stir in sesame oil.
- Pour mushrooms into serving dish and sprinkle with green onions. Serve hot or cool.
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