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MUSHROOM FRITTATA

Excerpted from Cooking With Mushrooms: A Fungi Lover's Guide to the World's Most Versatile, Flavorful, Health-Boosting Ingredients by Andrea Gentl. Artisan Books © 2022.

SERVES 6 TO 8

• 1 pound (455 g) fresh mushrooms, such as shiitake, oysters, maitake, or cremini
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 fresh oregano sprigs, leaves only
• ¼ cup (60 ml) extra-virgin olive oil
• 12 large egg
• 1¼ cups (125 g) finely grated pecorino cheese
• ¼ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
• Finely grated zest and juice of ½ lemon, preferably organic
• Fragrant fresh herbs, such as parsley, mint, and oregano, for garnish

My grandmother, an American-born Puglian, cooked in the manner of cucina povera, which she learned from her mother. This included a ton of vegetables, herbs, spicy dried chiles, and eggs. Frittatas made their way to our table for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, sometimes herby one with oregano and mint, or a pile of leftover pasta, other times filled with slow-cooked, delightfully mushy broccoli rabe, and often a mushroom frittata, usually made with cremini. Like a combination of shiitake and maitake. The flavor is extraordinary—rich, earthy, and a little meaty without any heaviness. The key to this recipe, as with many Puglian dishes, is a nice amount of flavorful olive oil and some sharp, salty pecorino.

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F (230°C).
2. If using cremini or shiitake mushrooms, thinly slice with a mandoline or sharp knife. If using maitake or oyster, gently tear into small pieces.
3. In a 10-inch (25 cm) nonstick ovenproof lidded skillet, melt the butter over medium-low heat.When it starts to foam, add the mushrooms and oregano leaves and cook until soft and any liquid has been released, 3 to 5 minutes. Stir in the oil.
4. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, 1 cup (100 g) of the pecorino, and the salt.
5. Add the egg mixture to the pan and sprinkle the top with the remaining ¼ cup (25 g) cheese,the lemon zest, and lemon juice.
6. Reduce the heat to low, cover the pan, and cook until the bottom starts to brown, 5 to 10minutes. (Check the eggs by lifting the bottom with a spatula.) Once the bottom starts to brown, transfer the pan to the oven, uncovered.
7. Bake for 5 minutes, then check to see if the top is puffing up. Cook a few minutes longer if not. The frittata is done when it starts to brown around the edges and a little bit on the top.Look for the oil bubbling up around the sides. This is totally normal. Once you remove the frittata from the oven to cool, the oil will get absorbed into the eggs, making it yummy and so delicious.
8. Serve the frittata warm or at room temperature, garnished with fresh herbs.

SALT AND PEPPER BRICK MUSHROOMS

Excerpted from Cooking With Mushrooms: A Fungi Lover's Guide to the World's Most Versatile, Flavorful, Health-Boosting Ingredients by Andrea Gentl. Artisan Books © 2022.

SERVES 4

• ½ teaspoon Himalayan pink salt
• ½ teaspoon cracked black pepper
• 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
• 1½ pounds (680 g) fresh mushrooms, such as oyster, maitake, lion’s mane, or portobello (one large piece or several medium pieces)
• 2 teaspoons capers, rinsed if salt-packed
• 1 lemon, cut into wedges, for serving

In this vegetarian riff on the classic brick chicken, mushrooms are simply cooked with a little olive oil, salt, and pepper, with capers added for zing. I have used oyster, maitake, and lion’s mane—all are delicious. Each variety has a different moisture content and will release varying amounts of moisture as the mushrooms cook. I don’t keep bricks in my kitchen, but a second cast-iron skillet or Dutch oven gets the job done. The weight of the second pan compresses the mushrooms and allows a nice crunchy crust to form while keeping them juicy and tender on the inside. Once you do this a couple of times, you might start keeping bricks in your kitchen!

1. In a small bowl, combine the salt and pepper.
2. In a large cast-iron skillet, heat the oil over medium-low heat until it begins to shimmer.
3. Place the mushrooms in the skillet and sprinkle with half the salt and pepper mixture and half the capers.
4. Cover the mushrooms with a sheet of foil, folding it into a round to cover the mushrooms and fit the contours of the skillet.
5. Place a Dutch oven or another cast-iron skillet the same size as the first one on top of the foil. With two kitchen towels or oven mitts, press down firmly on the skillet to flatten the mushrooms beneath it; the mushrooms will release moisture as they cook. Press intermittently until a nice crust has formed, 10 to 12 minutes.
6. Flip the mushrooms over, sprinkle with the remaining salt and pepper mixture and capers, and cook the otherside the same way, weighting and pressing intermittently for about 10 minutes longer.
7. Remove from the heat and serve hot, with lemon wedges for squeezing.

Everyday Mushroom Broth

Excerpted from Cooking With Mushrooms: A Fungi Lover's Guide to the World's Most Versatile, Flavorful, Health-Boosting Ingredients by Andrea Gentl. Artisan Books © 2022.

MAKES 10 CUPS (ABOUT 2.4L)

• 1½ pounds (680 g) mixed fresh shiitake and cremini mushrooms
• 5 quarts (4.7 L) water, preferably filtered
• Himalayan pink salt (optional)

This delicious multipurpose broth is made from commonly available mushrooms and no additional aromatics. Sip on it all day or use it for any of the recipes that call for broth. After cooking and steeping, the liquid becomes a beautiful chestnut brown, with a deep earthy flavor. I make this broth without adding salt; add it later to taste, if desired.

1. Trim and slice the shiitakes and quarter the creminis.
2. In an 8- to 12-quart (7.6 to 11.3 L) stockpot, combine the mushrooms and water. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat and continue to boil for 15 minutes.
3. Reduce the heat and cook at a bare simmer for 1 hour. Remove from the heat, cover, and let steep for 3 hours, until completely cool. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve, pressing on the mushrooms (discard, or compost, the mushrooms). If you plan to sip the broth, add salt to taste. If you will be using it later for cooking, skip the salt.
4. Transfer the broth to glass jars for storage. If freezing, leave ¾ inch(2cm) of free space at the top of the jar for expansion. Refrigerate for up to 5 days or freeze for up to 6 months.

Mushroom Risotto

We love this recipe from our friends at Baldacci Vineyards too. Pair it with their fruity and dry sparkling after you cook with it!

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup arborio or carnaroli rice
• 2-3 cups chicken stock
• ½ cup
• 2 oz prosciutto, sliced and diced
• 8 oz cremini mushrooms, sliced or diced
• 1 small yellow or white onion, diced or minced•3-4 cloves garlic, crushed
• 2 oz parmesan cheese, grated
• 2 oz fontina cheese, grated
• Salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

1. Sauté mushrooms in butter until cooked thoroughly and set aside.
2. Over low heat, add a tablespoon (or two) of olive oil, and cook onion until translucent.
3. Add garlic and cook for another minute
4. Turn up heat, add rice and cook for a minute or two. Be sure to stir with a spatula, so the garlic doesn't burn.
5. Add sparkling wine.
6. Add a cup or so of chicken stock to cover the rice. Stir regularly. When stock comes to a boil, turn heat down to low and let simmer. Continue to monitor level of stock and texture of rice. Add stock as needed.
7. When rice is close to finished, add mushrooms and prosciutto. About a minute before risotto is done, stir in cheese until melted. Season with salt and pepper.
8. Top with a little parmesan, if you like.
9. Plate it and serve it. Enjoy!

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