This recipe for wild mushrooms adapted from Seattle chef Tamara Murphy’s book Tender: Farmers, Cooks, Eaters illustrates her straightforward approach to cooking peak-season ingredients. “I even do this when I’m camping,” she says. Foragers typically do a good job of cleaning up delicate wild mushrooms, so just use a brush or paper towel to gently wipe away any traces of dirt. Above all, keep mushrooms dry, Murphy cautions. “Mushrooms roast best when they’re clean and dry.” Here, I used a combination of baby shiitakes and chanterelles that I found at a local farmers’ market stand run by a chef who comes from Bavaria, Germany, where he used to trade beer for mushrooms. Your kitchen will smell fantastic as this bakes! These wild mushrooms make a terrific side dish, or you can sprinkle them over pizza or pasta, or layer them on crostini smeared with goat cheese.
Ingredients
- 1/2 pound fresh wild mushrooms, cleaned and sliced or quartered (you can leave very small mushrooms whole)
- 2 cloves garlic, crushed
- 1 sprig fresh thyme
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450°F.
- Place all ingredients in the center of a 15-inch square piece of parchment paper. (If your parchment paper is smaller, divide the mixture between two squares, and add an extra sprig of thyme). Fold the edges, making sure they are sealed. Place the packet on a baking sheet, and bake for 20 minutes. It will puff majestically as it bakes.
- Slide the packet onto a plate, and slice it open just before serving.
Servings: 4
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