So…a mushroom walks into a bar. The bartender looks up and immediately shouts “Get out, you’re not welcome here.” The mushroom replies “Why not, I’m a fungi.” Fungi…fun guy…get it…yeah, pretty lame, but it is the only joke that I can remember the punchline. I have a terrible time remembering punchlines.
I have a lot of really funny friends….epically funny. A good portion of our time together is spent laughing, and why would you have it any other way? Life is short, laugh a lot. And if you can be around a campfire while you are doing it, all the better!
If you are wondering where this post is going, it’s about honoring the humble mushroom. This recipe is inspired by a dish I had at Crush in Arcata, California, and after one bite I was indeed in love. It was a special that evening, I don’t believe it is on the regular menu. But should you be there when it is, you must try it.
I use shiitake mushrooms for this recipe, but assorted wild mushrooms, crimini or even button mushrooms would work. It’s a delicious topping for steaks, chicken and fish, and can stand on its own as a decadent side dish or as an appetizer served atop some crusty toasted bread. The recipe has a lot of butter in it, so just add another mile to that day hike, if you are worried about that kind of thing.
- 8 ounces of shiitake mushrooms
- 4 TBS butter + 1 TBS butter
- 1 tsp dried tarragon
- Salt & pepper to taste
- Remove the tough stems from the shiitakes, discard.
- Slice the mushroom caps.
- Melt 4 TBS of the butter in a pan over medium heat.
- Add the mushrooms and tarragon to the melted butter and saute until the mushrooms are tender. ( 8 - 10 minutes)
- Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the remaining 1TBS of butter.
- Add salt and pepper to taste.