The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (124 page)
Read The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook Online
Authors: The Editors at America's Test Kitchen
Tags: #Cooking
SERVES 4
Marsala is a classic choice for complementing the earthy flavor of mushrooms.
1 | tablespoon vegetable oil |
1¹⁄ | pounds white mushrooms, trimmed and halved if small or quartered if large |
1 | tablespoon unsalted butter |
1 | shallot, minced |
1 | tablespoon minced fresh thyme |
¹⁄ | cup dry Marsala |
Salt and pepper |
1.
Heat oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release liquid, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to high and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has completely evaporated, about 8 minutes longer. Add butter, reduce heat to medium, and continue to cook, stirring once every minute, until mushrooms are dark brown, about 8 minutes longer.
2.
Add shallot and thyme and cook until softened, about 3 minutes. Add Marsala and cook until liquid has evaporated, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste and serve.
SERVES 4
Do not thaw the pearl onions here; they should be added to the skillet still frozen.
4 | slices bacon, cut into ¹⁄ |
1 | cup frozen pearl onions |
1 | teaspoon sugar |
¹⁄ | cup ruby port |
1¹⁄ | pounds white mushrooms, trimmed and halved if small or quartered if large |
1 | tablespoon unsalted butter |
1 | tablespoon minced fresh parsley |
Salt and pepper | |
2 | ounces blue cheese, crumbled (¹⁄ |
1.
Cook bacon in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until beginning to render fat, about 1 minute. Add onions and sugar and cook, stirring occasionally, until bacon is crisp and onions are light brown, about 8 minutes. Using slotted spoon, transfer onions and bacon to medium bowl. Reserve 1 tablespoon bacon fat in small bowl; discard remaining fat. Add ¹⁄
4
cup port to now-empty skillet, return to medium-high heat, and simmer about 30 seconds, scraping up any browned bits with wooden spoon. Pour port into bowl with bacon and onions; wipe out skillet with paper towels.
2.
Heat reserved fat in now-empty skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally, until mushrooms release liquid, about 5 minutes. Increase heat to high and cook, stirring occasionally, until liquid has completely evaporated and mushrooms start to brown, about 8 minutes longer. Add butter, reduce heat to medium, and continue to cook, stirring once every minute, until mushrooms are dark brown, about 8 minutes longer. Add bacon mixture and remaining ¹⁄
4
cup port and cook, stirring frequently, until liquid has evaporated and mushrooms are glazed, about 2 minutes. Stir in parsley and season with salt and pepper to taste. Transfer to serving dish, sprinkle with blue cheese, if using, and serve.
WHY THIS RECIPE WORKS
We wanted the ultimate stuffed mushroom side dish, showcasing meaty, earthy, intense mushrooms with a filling that contributed complementary flavors and textures. Choosing portobello caps for their large size, rich flavor, and wide availability, we removed excess moisture by cutting slits in the caps before precooking them in the oven (salting only made them slimy). Then we developed a few rules for the perfect filling: chopped stems made a convenient and good base, cheese (rather than bread crumbs or béchamel sauce) worked best for a binder, and some cream added richness. Fresh bread crumbs toasted with butter gave our stuffed mushroom recipe a final flourish and contrasting texture.
SERVES 4 AS A MAIN COURSE OR 8 AS A SIDE DISH
When shopping, choose dense mushrooms with a cupped shape. Blue cheese can be substituted for the goat cheese. This recipe can easily be halved. Make sure to buy whole portobello mushrooms for this recipe, not just prepackaged caps.
10 | portobello mushrooms (4 to 5 inches in diameter), stems removed and reserved |
¹⁄ | cup olive oil |
Salt and pepper | |
12 | ounces baby spinach (12 cups) |
2 | tablespoons water |
2 | slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into quarters |
2 | tablespoons unsalted butter |
2 | onions, chopped fine |
4 | garlic cloves, minced |
¹⁄ | cup dry sherry |
4 | ounces goat cheese, crumbled (1 cup) |
1 | cup walnuts, toasted and chopped coarse |
¹⁄ | cup heavy cream |
2 | tablespoons chopped fresh thyme |
2 | teaspoons lemon juice |
1.
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 400 degrees. Using sharp knife, cut ¹⁄
4
-inch-deep slits, spaced ¹⁄
2
inch apart, in crosshatch pattern on smooth surface (non-gill side) of 8 mushrooms. Dice remaining 2 mushroom caps and reserved stems into ¹⁄
2
-inch pieces; set aside (you should have about 3 cups).
2.
Brush both sides of whole caps with 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon salt. Carefully place caps, gill side up, on preheated baking sheet. Roast until mushrooms have released some of their juices and are beginning to brown around edges, 8 to 12 minutes. Flip caps over and continue to roast until liquid has completely evaporated and caps are golden brown, 8 to 12 minutes longer. Remove mushrooms from oven and heat broiler.
3.
While mushrooms roast, place spinach and water in large bowl. Cover bowl with large dinner plate (plate should completely cover bowl and not rest on spinach). Microwave until spinach is wilted and decreased in volume by half, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove bowl from microwave and keep covered for 1 minute. Carefully remove plate and transfer spinach to colander. Using back of rubber spatula, gently press spinach against colander to release excess liquid. Transfer spinach to cutting board and chop coarse. Return spinach to colander and press again. Set aside.
4.
Pulse bread in food processor to coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses (you should have about 1¹⁄
2
cups). Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until butter is melted. Add bread crumbs and ¹⁄
4
teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer crumbs to small bowl and wipe out skillet with paper towels.
5.
Return now-empty skillet to medium-high heat, add remaining 1 tablespoon oil, and heat until smoking. Add chopped mushrooms and cook, without stirring, for 2 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes longer. Transfer to medium bowl.
6.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter and onions to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are light brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in sherry and cook until almost no liquid remains, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in reserved cooked mushrooms, spinach, goat cheese, walnuts, cream, and thyme. Continue cooking until cheese is melted and vegetables are well coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir in lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
7.
Flip caps gill side up and distribute filling evenly among mushroom caps. Top each stuffed cap with 2 tablespoons bread-crumb mixture. Broil mushrooms until crumbs are golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.
TO MAKE AHEAD:
Filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Rewarm before stuffing mushrooms. Do not roast mushrooms in advance, as they become leathery once rewarmed.
SERVES 4 AS A MAIN COURSE OR 8 AS A SIDE DISH
For time efficiency, place mushrooms in the oven after you begin to sauté the diced mushrooms. When shopping, choose dense mushrooms with a cupped shape. This recipe can easily be halved.
12 | portobello mushrooms (4 to 5 inches in diameter), stems removed and reserved |
5 | tablespoons olive oil |
Salt and pepper | |
2 | slices hearty white sandwich bread, torn into quarters |
2 | tablespoons unsalted butter |
3 | ounces prosciutto, chopped |
2 | onions, chopped fine |
4 | garlic cloves, minced |
¹⁄ | cup dry sherry |
4 | ounces cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup) |
¹⁄ | cup heavy cream |
2 | tablespoons chopped fresh thyme |
2 | tablespoons roughly chopped fresh parsley |
2 | teaspoons lemon juice |
1.
Adjust oven rack to upper-middle position, place rimmed baking sheet on rack, and heat oven to 400 degrees. Using sharp knife, cut ¹⁄
4
-inch-deep slits, spaced ¹⁄
2
inch apart, in crosshatch pattern on smooth surface (non-gill side) of 8 mushrooms. Dice remaining 4 mushroom caps and reserved stems into ¹⁄
2
-inch pieces; set aside (you should have about 6 cups).
2.
Brush both sides of whole caps with 2 tablespoons oil and sprinkle evenly with 1 teaspoon salt. Carefully place caps, gill side up, on preheated baking sheet. Roast until mushrooms have released some of their juices and are beginning to brown around edges, 8 to 12 minutes. Flip caps over and continue to roast until liquid has completely evaporated and caps are golden brown, 8 to 12 minutes longer. Remove mushrooms from oven and heat broiler.
3.
Pulse bread in food processor to coarse crumbs, about 10 pulses (you should have about 1¹⁄
2
cups). Heat 1 tablespoon oil and 1 tablespoon butter in 12-inch skillet over medium heat until butter is melted. Add bread crumbs and ¹⁄
4
teaspoon salt and cook, stirring frequently, until light golden brown, 5 to 8 minutes. Transfer crumbs to small bowl and wipe out skillet with paper towels.
4.
Return now-empty skillet to medium-high heat, add 1 tablespoon oil, and heat until smoking. Add half of chopped mushrooms and cook, without stirring, for 2 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned, 4 to 6 minutes longer. Transfer to medium bowl and repeat with remaining 1 tablespoon oil and remaining mushrooms.
5.
Add remaining 1 tablespoon butter, prosciutto, and onions to skillet and cook, stirring occasionally, until onions are light brown, 5 to 6 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Stir in sherry and cook until almost no liquid remains, 1 to 2 minutes. Reduce heat to low and stir in reserved cooked mushrooms, cheddar, cream, thyme, and parsley. Continue cooking until cheddar is melted and vegetables are well coated, 1 to 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat, stir in lemon juice, and season with salt and pepper to taste.
6.
Flip caps gill side up and distribute filling evenly among mushroom caps. Top each stuffed cap with 2 tablespoons bread-crumb mixture. Broil mushrooms until crumbs are golden brown, 1 to 3 minutes. Serve immediately.
TO MAKE AHEAD:
Filling can be made up to 2 days ahead and refrigerated. Rewarm before stuffing mushrooms. Do not roast mushrooms in advance, as they become leathery once rewarmed.