Portobello Mushroom Salad

I really liked Jason Epstein's casual handling of crustaceans in his book Eating. I really like condiments to sea food on a checkered table: ketchup, hot sauce, cracked pepper, lemon juice, Rettich, whatever. As if I were eating oysters, here is a Portobello Mushroom Salad. Courtesy of The Swiss Guy (see other posts under this Label), who says: rinse mushrooms, then eat them raw. The hot sauce is my idea. I'm no mushroom lover, but this is really great.


Portobello Mushroom Salad

Two Portobello Mushroom heads
1-2 spring onions, chopped
cracked pepper
lemon juice
hot chilli sauce
dash of olive oil
some chopped chervil or parsley for garnish

Everything has to be done quickly. I know one doesn't rinse mushrooms, but being no Italian from Piemonte I do. Rinse them quickly under running water. Cut the mushroom heads in long medium thick slices.

Sprinkle with lemon juice, olive oil, season, liberally coat with the hot chilli sauce, twist the pepper mill, be careful with salt, add the chervil. Serve and eat at once. Prep shouldn't take more than 5 minutes in all.

Now chase your mushroom bias.

Three mushrooms for workers

June announces a bit of domestic turmoil due to a new -and last- episode of renovation. As we are clearing space in half of our living premises, preparing food is almost perfunctory, where it not for three types of mushrooms which shine through during what is essentially a very simple preparation. I'm not such a fan of mushrooms, but the smell and taste of fried garlic do win over.

Three mushrooms for workers

2 portobello mushrooms, sliced
5-8 oyster mushrooms, whole
5-8 shiitake mushrooms, whole
3 cloves of garlic
olive oil + butter
fresh herbs for decoration (chives + flower, sage, parsley, mint, ...)

Heat butter and oil in pan, add garlic, fry, add mushrooms, fry, lower the heat and let cook a little. I put a lid on the pan. Towards the end, add the fresh herbs, let them wilt slightly. Serve with buttered bread.

It's not done, but I rinced the mushrooms with some water, so the mushrooms produced more liquid than usual. You can pick up the juices with buttered bread.