It’s been a long time since I’ve posted here! Things have changed a lot in the past couple months. I took a long hiatus while I took care of a sick family member, and after things finally calmed down, I wasn’t feeling as inspired to cook or develop recipes. Life sometimes gets crazy and the things you love take a backseat for awhile.
But when Nashville Farmacy approached me about their Maitake Mushrooms, I couldn’t resist. It just feels good to know where your food comes from. Lately, since we haven’t been eating as much meat, we’ve been looking for good substitutes for those days we’re really craving a steak. Maitakes are definitely the thing to try. They have a very low moisture content compared to your average button mushrooms, and they crisp up really nicely when you roast them. The preparation couldn’t be simpler.
For this recipe, I simply roasted them and put them on grilled bread with a little gremolata. Gremolata is a sauce made with parsley and lemon, but I added fresh thyme and capers for a nice briny bite. This recipe is simple, and it’s definitely one of the best things I’ve eating in a long time. See the full recipe below.
- 1 lb maitake mushrooms
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- kosher salt
- fresh ground black pepper
- 1 loaf crusty bread
- 4 tbsp olive oil, plus a little extra for drizzling
- zest of 1 lemon
- two pinches of kosher salt
- 3 tbsp capers, drained and roughly chopped
- 3 tbsp chopped fresh parsley
- 1 garlic clove minced, plus one clove
- squeeze of lemon
- 1 loaf of crusty bread
- fresh shaved parmigiano reggiano cheese (optional)
- Preheat the oven to 400 F. Use a damp paper towel to clean off any dirt on the mushrooms. Cut the mushrooms into one to two inch pieces, discarding the stems. Place mushrooms on a large baking sheet, sprinkle with salt and pepper, and toss with olive oil. Spread mushrooms into a single layer and bake for 25 minutes, or until golden brown.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the 4 tbsp olive oil, lemon zest, kosher salt, capers, parsley, and minced garlic clove. Give it a taste for any salt. If it's dull, add a squeeze of lemon juice and mix again.
- Slice the bread into ½ inch thick slices. Preheat a grill pan or skillet to medium high heat. Add a drizzle of olive oil. Grill each piece of bread until golden brown or until there are grill marks on one side, and flip. Cook the other side until golden. Remove to a plate.
- To assemble, top each bread slice with mushrooms, then drizzle each with a spoonful of gremolata. Top with shaved parmigiano reggiano if using. Serve immediately.
