National Mushroom Day is coming up on October 15th!
“We want to be making dishes so memorable that you only want that dish,” said Pam Smith during her session Veg-”abilities”: Curating Plant-forward & Plant-based Menu Items That Are Craveable, Flexible & Forgivable during Catersource + The Special Event 2023. “Mushrooms are the answer you’ve been looking for—they’re great for the tastebuds, they’re great for the body, and they’re great for the planet.
"Mushrooms simply make everything more delicious, more nutrious, and more sustainable."
Here are some of the recipes that Smith prepared during her session (and a few extras!) to help get you ready to celebrate.
Cremini and Chicken Meatballs, Grains and Greens Power Bowl
Yield: 6-8
Ingredients
Chicken and Cremini Meatballs (recipe below)
1 cup farro
1 tsp creole seasoning
2 cups mushroom broth (or lower sodium chicken broth)
¼ cup finely diced red onion
1 tsp minced garlic
4 ea. ears sweet yellow corn, kernels removed (about 2½ cups corn)
1 cup cremini mushrooms, diced and roasted
1 cup asparagus, cut on bias and blanched
1 cup roasted pepper, diced
2 cups fresh kale, shredded and massaged
½ cup dried red tart cherries
½ cup marcona almonds or pistachios, toasted
Citrus Sherry Vinaigrette (recipe below)
1 cup feta cheese, small diced
Microgreens, for garnish
Sauteed or roasted cremini or beech mushrooms, for garnish
Whipped feta for garnish (recipe below)
Method
- Toast farro in dry skillet over medium heat until toasty brown and fragrant. Add 1 tsp creole seasoning, mushroom or chicken broth, onion and garlic, and bring to a boil over medium high heat. Adjust the heat to a simmer and cook for 18-20 minutes until just tender but still al dente, and most of liquid has absorbed.
- To assemble the salad, combine the farro and corn kernels, roasted mushrooms, blanched asparagus, roasted pepper, massaged kale, dried cherries and nuts. Toss with Citrus Sherry Vinaigrette. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- When ready to serve, brown meatballs.
- To serve, swoosh plate with whipped feta; add a spoon of toasted farro salad. Top with meatballs, and garnish with crumbled feta, beech mushrooms and microgreens.
Ingredients for Citrus Sherry Vinaigrette
¼ cup sherry vinegar
2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
2 T freshly squeezed orange or clementine juice
2 tsp honey
1 T Dijon mustard
½ teaspoon creole seasoning
⅓ cup plus 2 tsp extra virgin olive oil
Method
Whisk together the sherry vinegar, citrus juice, honey, Dijon mustard, creole seasoning, citrus spice blend (or zest, salt and pepper) and then drizzle in ⅓ cup olive oil while whisking to emulsify. Adjust seasoning and honey, to taste.
Ingredients for Cremini and Chicken Meatballs
1½ lbs lean ground chicken
½ lb ground roasted cremini mushrooms for "The Blend" (recipe below)
1 T lemon zest (from one lemon)
½ cup packed fresh parsley and/or mint leaves, finely chopped
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1 cup red onion, finely diced
3 T minced garlic
2 T Smokey Shroom Seasoning (recipe below)
1 T creole seasoning
½ cup milk
1 ea. egg, lightly beaten
½ cup feta, grated
½ cup panko
Method
- To a medium bowl, add the chicken, ground mushrooms, herbs and lemon zest.
- Heat EVO in a small pan, add onion and sauté until sweet and translucent. Add garlic and seasonings and sauté another 30 seconds. Place in shallow bowl to quickly cool and then add to the chicken mushroom mixture.
- Stir milk, egg, grated feta and panko together and let rest for five minutes or so to make a panade (gives perfect texture to the meatballs). Add to the chicken mushroom mixture.
- Gently combine the mixture without squeezing too hard or overworking the meat. Lightly wet your palms and shape the meat into small balls, a little smaller than the size of a golf ball, about 1½ inches, or 1 oz each.
- When ready to cook, evenly season meatballs with additional Creole seasoning. Brown prepared meatballs under a broiler. Brown one side; flip over to brown the other side and cook through.
- Utilize mix for meatballs, meatloaf, kefta, burgers, breakfast sausage, etc. May change ingredients and flavor profile to fit many global/ethnic cuisines.
Ingredients for Roasted Mushrooms for “The Blend”
2 lbs cremini mushrooms, cut in small dice if large, quartered if small.
1 T extra virgin olive oil
1½ tsp creole seasoning
Method
- Place two baking sheet pans in oven and preheat the oven to 400º F.
- In a large bowl, toss the mushrooms with the olive oil and Creole seasoning. Spread in an even layer on the heated baking sheets. Bake on the middle rack of the preheated oven for 15 to 20 minutes, stirring every five minutes, until the mushrooms are tender and quite dry. They will reduce considerably in volume (by half). Remove from the heat and allow to cool.
- Grind in grinder or food processor fitted with the steel blade until chopped fine (to the size of hamburger) but still retaining some texture. Makes 1 lb or about 2 cups.
Ingredients for Whipped Feta
12 oz feta, crumbled
4 oz Greek yogurt
1 T extra-virgin olive oil
2 T freshly squeezed lemon juice
1 tsp creole seasoning
Method
-
Place the feta and goat cheese in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the steel blade. Pulse until the cheeses are mixed.
-
Add the olive oil and the lemon juice, process until creamy. Season to taste with creole seasoning or kosher salt and black pepper. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Ingredients for Smoky Shroom Seasoning
2 T smoked paprika
2 T mushroom powder (dried mushrooms, ground to powder)
2 T minced onion
2 T garlic granules
2 T raw sugar
2 T freshly ground black pepper
1 T lemon zest
1 T kosher salt, preferably Diamond Crystal
1 T dried thyme
Method
Blend together all ingredients in a bowl.
Crispy Portobello Fries
Ingredients
4 lbs portobello mushrooms
1½ cups panko crumbs
1½ cups peanuts, fine ground
⅓ cup peanut powder
½ cup fresh flat leaf parsley, finely chopped
¼ cup chives, finely chopped
1 T lemon zest
2 tsp creole seasoning
2 T Smokey Shroom Seasoning (recipe below), or kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
All purpose unbleached flour, as needed
Creole Kitchen or kosher salt and freshly cracked pepper, to taste
8 ea. eggs, lightly beaten
3 T grated parmesan
Vegetable oil, if frying
Microgreens or cornshoots, for garnish
Miso Aioli, for dipping sauce (recipe below)
Method
-
Clean portobellos, removing gills only if desired. Spray with nonstick spray, and roast in 375 degree convection oven for 14 minutes Slice into long fingers about one inch thick.
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In a skillet over medium heat, lightly toast panko. Add to medium bowl and add peanuts, peanut powder, herbs, zest, smokey ‘shroom and creole seasoning.
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Mix flour and seasoning in another bowl, and whip eggs in another bowl with Parmesan.
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Using the standard breading method, lightly dust mushrooms in flour, then in egg mixture (draining additional), then in seasoned breadcrumbs.
-
Deep fry, air fry or pan fry until golden brown.
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Serve with Miso Aioli, or desired sauce. Garnish with microgreens or corn shoots
Ingredients for Smoky ‘Shroom Seasoning
2 T smoked paprika
2 T porcini mushroom powder
2 T minced onion
2 T garlic granules
2 T raw sugar
2 T freshly ground black pepper
1 T lemon zest
1 T Diamond Crystal kosher salt
1 T dried thyme
Method
Blend together all ingredients in a bowl.
Ingredients for Miso Aioli
¼ cup rice wine vinegar
1 T tamari
2 T white miso
2 cups mayonnaise, such as Duke’s or Kewpie
2 tsp creole seasoning
Method
Whisk rice wine vinegar into miso, add remaining ingredients. Refrigerate until ready to use.
Roasted Mushroom Toast
1 lb mushrooms, such as crimini, portobello, beech, royal trumpet, oyster or maitake
1½ T extra virgin olive oil
2 tsp P.S. Flavor!™ Creole Kitchen, or kosher salt and pepper, to taste
1½ cups ricotta cheese, at room temperature
2 tsp lemon zest
1 T freshly squeezed lemon juice (about ½ lemon)
1 ea. scallion, thinly sliced
1 tsp minced garlic
½ T sherry vinegar
3 T finely minced herbs, such as flat-leaf parsley or thyme
Multigrain baguette, sliced ¼- to ½-inch thick
¼ cup freshly grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, crumbled feta or goat cheese, if desired
Method
- Place a sheet pan in oven and preheat to 400º F.
- Gently clean the mushrooms with a damp cloth or a paring knife to remove any dirt or dark spots. Cut off any tough stems. Leave small, bite-size mushrooms whole; quarter or slice larger mushrooms to bite-size pieces.
- Toss in 1 tsp olive oil and ½ tsp Creole Kitchen seasoning and then add to pan, scattering evenly (you’ll hear a sizzle when they hit the hot pan!) and roast until all the juices are removed from the pan, and the mushrooms begin to brown slightly.
- Prepare Whipped Ricotta by whisking together ricotta, ½ T olive oil, lemon zest, lemon juice and ½ tsp creole seasoning. You may add 2 T of the grated parmigiano-reggiano, feta or goat cheese, if desired.
- When mushrooms are roasted, heat non-stick or cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat. Add another teaspoon olive oil, scallion and garlic and sauté for about 30 seconds, then add sherry vinegar and roasted mushrooms, and sauté to coat mushrooms. Add tablespoons of fresh herbs and adjust seasoning to taste.
- Shortly before serving, position an oven rack about six inches from the broiler element and heat the broiler to high. Arrange the bread slices on a baking sheet and brush them with another teaspoon olive oil and sprinkle with remaining Creole seasoning. Broil until the bread is golden, one to two minutes. Flip and toast the other side, about one minute.
- Spread the warm mushroom mixture on the toasts, and sprinkle with some of the cheese on top, if desired. Garnish with remaining fresh herbs.
Peruvian Portobello Shakshuka
Ingredients
6 ea. portobello mushrooms
Olive oil spray as needed
Salt and black pepper as needed
Aji Amarillo Shakshuka Sauce (recipe below)
6 ea. small eggs
¼ cup cilantro, roughly chopped
¼ cup flat leaf parsley, chopped
Olive oil, as needed to garnish
Method
- Line a sheet pan with tin foil and preheat the oven to 400℉.
- Remove the stems from the portobellos and chop them into half-inch pieces. Spray liberally with olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Place the mushrooms gill side up on the sheet pan and roast for 20 minutes or until tender. Remove and turn the oven down to 350℉.
- While the mushrooms are roasting, prepare the shakshuka sauce.
- To assemble the shakshuka: This dish can be served in individual or a nine-inch cast-iron skillet.
- Remove half the Shakshuka sauce from the pan into a bowl. Arrange the mushrooms on the sauce, gill side up. Add the remaining sauce in each of the mushrooms. Create a depression with the back of a spoon and carefully place a cracked egg into each depression.
- Place in a 350℉ oven until the eggs are set and the sauce is bubbling, approximately 20 minutes.
- To serve, season each egg with a little salt and aleppo pepper. Sprinkle feta and a liberal amount of herbs over the dish, along with a drizzle of olive oil. Serve piping hot with a toasted baguette or grilled flatbread
Ingredients Aji Amarillo Shakshuka Sauce
1 T olive oil
1 cup diced sweet onion
½ cup small diced celery
½ cup small diced yellow pepper
2 tsp adobo spice
1 tsp Diamond Crystal Salt
1 T finely minced cloves garlic
1 cup roasted crimini mushrooms, ground
2 T aji amarillo
28-oz can San Marzano whole tomatoes in juice, chopped
Method
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To a large cast iron skillet on high heat with olive oil, add in the onions, celery and peppers and sauté until translucent and soft, about four to six minutes. Next add garlic and spices and cook another 30 seconds, mixing all together well.
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Stir in the aji amarillo paste until combined. Add tomatoes and bring all to a simmer to allow flavors to come together. Adjust seasoning.
