The Veggie
The humble button mushroom can steal the show — it just needs the right recipes.
I’m of two mushroom minds: Occasionally, I prefer they blend in with the crowd, undetectable to the untrained eye, as in Jocelyn Ramirez’s vegan chorizo. But more often, I want them front and center, the belles of the ball.
While luxurious oyster and hen-of-the-woods mushrooms often inspire V.I.P. treatment, they aren’t the only varietals deserving of the spotlight. The omnipresent button or cremini mushroom can command a meal just as masterfully — with the right technique.
Take note of the strategy Yasmin Fahr employs in her recipe for garlicky mushrooms and herbs. The mushrooms are cooked in a hot, dry (that’s right, dry!) pan until they have released all of their moisture, which can take around 15 minutes. “Be patient, it will happen!” Yasmin writes. Only then is fat added to the pan — in this case, both butter and olive oil — for a sleek, luscious finish. A few aromatics and a spritz of soy sauce underscore the mushrooms’ umami factor.
Garlicky Mushrooms and Herbs
View this recipe.
This technique yields perfectly caramelized mushrooms, whether cultivated, wild or a mixture of the two. Pile them high over creamy polenta or sliceable baked polenta; over toasted garlic rice; over mashed potatoes or cauliflower; over chewy noodles or on toast.
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