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A "fun-gi." The mushroom, or the cook? Both, according to his T-shirt.
PHOTO BY MARK WURST |
Sporting a T-shirt that reads “Fungi to Be With,” Alan Muskat peels back the lid of a plastic container to reveal chunks of peach-colored lobster mushrooms.
“This is the blue cheese of mushrooms,” he says, pouring a stream of olive oil into a hot cast-iron skillet. “This is twice the fungus. Just like blue cheese is moldy, this is a mushroom that used to look like this.” He holds up a fat white specimen.
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Featured Recipes:
Wild Mushroom and Veggie Saute
INGREDIENTS:
Mushrooms
Onion
Other vegetables of your choice
Garlic
Butter or olive oil
Rice or pasta
Wine or fish sauce (optional)
METHOD:
Quarter tender mushrooms; slice chewier ones. Chop an equal amount of vegetables (broccoli, carrots, etc.). Dice about half as much onion as mushrooms and mince two cloves of garlic for every onion. Heat butter or olive oil. Add mushrooms, vegetables and salt as desired and cook, loosely covered, for 5-15 minutes, depending on the mushroom. For drier mushrooms, add water or stock as needed and cover tightly; for wetter mushrooms, remove cover. When nearly done, add garlic. A splash of wine (any kind) or fish sauce and/or a spoon of cream or sour cream can also be added. Serve over rice or pasta.
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Wild Mushroom Marinara Sauce
INGREDIENTS:
3+ tablespoons olive oil
3 cups fresh wild mushrooms, sliced
1 medium onion, chopped
1 green pepper, chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried basil,
oregano, thyme and/or rosemary
1 small potato
1 cup fresh or canned tomato, chopped
2 tablespoons garlic, minced
chopped parsley, about a handful
salt and pepper, to taste
Directions:
Heat half of the olive oil over medium heat. When oil is hot, add mushrooms and saute for 3-5 minutes. Add onion and more oil if needed. Cover loosely if desired. When onion is fairly translucent, add pepper, dried herb(s), potato, salt and another tablespoon of oil. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring as needed. Lower heat, add tomato, garlic and pepper, and simmer for 10 minutes. Add parsley and turn off heat. Serve over pasta. Yields four servings.
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