We love all things mushrooms, but I know they are not everyone’s cup of tea. However you might be enticed to try this rich, woodsy side dish with combined straightforward creminis and meaty, smoky shiitakes.
To ensure that the mushrooms are evenly seasoned and stay moist during roasting, they are brined in a saltwater solution. This went against everything we’ve ever read about preparing mushrooms, but we gave it a whirl. A glass pie plate was put over the soaking mushrooms to keep them submerged in the brine.
The ‘shrooms are roasted in a hot oven for about an hour until they are deeply browned. Then they’re coated in extra-virgin olive oil and lemon juice before adding the flavorful mix-ins of grated Parmesan, parsley, and pine nuts.
Oh yeah Babe, this recipe from America’s Test Kitchen was divine. Served with grilled tomatoes and strip steaks, we felt like royalty on a weeknight!
Roasted Mushrooms with Parmesan and Pine Nuts
Ingredients
- Salt and pepper
- 1 ½ lbs. cremini mushrooms, trimmed and left whole if small, halved if medium, or quartered if large
- 1 lb. shiitake mushrooms, stemmed, caps larger than 3 inches halved
- 4 Tbsp. extra-virgin olive oil, divided
- 1 tsp. lemon juice
- 1 oz. Parmesan cheese, grated (1/2 cup)
- 2 Tbsp. pine nuts, toasted
- 2 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
Directions
- Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450°F.
- Dissolve 5 teaspoons salt in 2 quarts room-temperature water in large container. Add cremini mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms to brine, cover with plate or bowl to submerge, and let stand for 10 minutes
- Drain mushrooms in colander and pat dry with paper towels. Spread mushrooms evenly on rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with oil, and toss to coat. Roast until liquid from mushrooms has completely evaporated, 35 to 45 minutes.
- Remove sheet from oven (be careful of escaping steam when opening oven) and, using thin metal spatula, carefully stir mushrooms. Return to oven and continue to roast until mushrooms are deeply browned, 5 to 10 minutes longer.
- Combine remaining olive oil and lemon juice in large bowl. Add mushrooms and toss to coat. Add Parmesan, pine nuts, and parsley and toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste; serve immediately.
Recipe from America’s Test Kitchen
Accounting for Taste 