In the Garden: Pairing Fresh Herbs with Mushrooms
When it comes to food, I am, beyond a shadow of a sliver of doubt, a “stuff” girl. Making an omelet? I will try to get 4 kinds of vegetables and cheese into the fold. Lasagna? Not without mushrooms, spinach and chunky tomato sauce. The same goes for soups, sandwiches and, goodnight, salads. My regular lunch salad has 11 ingredients. I’m just one of those people that loves the way certain flavors come together- the more the merrier!
I think that’s one reason why, long before the Mushroom Channel came along, I loved to cook with our namesake ingredient. Mushrooms absorb cooking liquid and sauces and flavor at a rate that trounces almost any other meal component. When cooked mindfully, the mushrooms never sacrifice their own meaty flavor in the process. Shallots, white wine and thyme sauteed with mushrooms over chicken…that’s only four ingredients and I’m already salivating.
That also brings me to my next point. One of the best ways to add rich flavor to a dish without adding extra fat is snipping a few fresh herbs to add to the mix. Below you’ll find a few recipes across the interweb that I think tie this concept together beautifully. I’m glad I weeded my own herb garden yesterday. They taste better when you grow them yourself and I can see that I’m going to be busy!
Mushroom Salad with Chives and Rosemary- Can you blame me for including one of our own entries first? This is one of my favorites from The Wednesday Chef.
Roasted Mushroom Salad with Mint and Basil- Recipe is from AllRecipes but pointed out to us by Featured Contributor Cheap Healthy Good in an awesome herb post.
Mushroom Risotto with Tarragon and Basil- If ever there was a set of photos I could eat off the page. Alicia from bread & honey came up with a gorgeous spin on an Italian classic.
Warm Roasted Potato Salad with Mushrooms, Runner Beans, Proscuitto and Thyme- A new favorite from Lucullian, with regard to Tastespotting. Runner beans are due for the day in the sun I think.
Gnocchi with Mushroom Sage Ragout- Fromt the aptly named “I Like to Eat,” a political correspondant who has our vote. This would also help us use up the parsley we inevitably have leftover. Plus-points to anyone who can use nutmeg or cinnamon well in a savory recipe.
