How to get great flavor out of ordinary white mushrooms? Add a handful of dried porcini. You will not believe the difference.
Recipe information
Yield
makes 4 servings
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
Pour boiling water over the porcini to reconstitute; let them sit for about 10 minutes, or until tender, then drain and trim off any hard spots.
Step 2
Put the olive oil in a large skillet over high heat; a minute later, add the porcini and button mushrooms, along with a big pinch of salt and some pepper, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms give off most of their liquid and begin to brown, about 10 minutes. Turn the heat to medium-low and add the garlic. Continue to cook for a few more minutes, until the mixture is tender and glossy. Taste and adjust the seasoning, stir in the parsley, and serve hot or warm.
Dried Mushroom
Step 3
The best-tasting dried mushrooms are dried porcini (also called cèpes), which have come down about 50 percent in price over the last few years. Try to find dried porcini sold in bulk, not in tiny little packages of less than an ounce each (these are a complete rip-off). If you live in a big city, a major Italian or specialty food market will have them; otherwise, you can find good sources on the Internet. I usually buy about a pound at a time, which usually costs about fifty bucks and lasts me a couple of years.
