It to write today about one of my favorite foods, mushrooms. Mushrooms are a fascinating life form. They are not animal, but they are also not exactly plants. Some biologists think they belong in a separate kingdom.
But, this is not a biology blog. Mushrooms are too frequently relegated almost to a garnish. Folks throw a few on a steak or salad to fancy them up. Sometimes, maybe some are tossed in a pasta sauce or omelet as a flavor element, but they actually do very well as the main ingredient.
Let mushrooms take the center and enhance them with garlic, onions, etc. and they taste will amaze you. They are cheap, cook quickly, and satisfy hunger nicely, filling bur not too heavy. They are also nutritious.
In recent years, all sorts are available, portabellas, porcini, criminis, shitakes, and many others, but, today, I want to sing the praises of the button mushroom.
In the past, in America, the button mushroom was the mushroom of choice. Then, came all of the more exotic types, and, suddenly, the button became a shunned ingredient. While all the others are very good, the button is easily as tasty and has one bug advantage - it is much cheaper.
Just because an ingredient is exotic, does not make it more desirable, and it certainly does not justify higher cost. Use the button mushroom, save, money and enjoy its pleasant flavor. Use mushrooms to enhance flavor and as a main dish ) they are excellent meat substitutes.
One word of warning: unless you are highly trained, do not eat wild mushrooms. You may get lucky and pick a good one, or you may wind up in an emergency room.
Showing posts with label mushrooms. Show all posts
Showing posts with label mushrooms. Show all posts
Wednesday, March 15, 2017
Wednesday, January 11, 2017
Meatless Meals
I am not a vegetarian. I love meat. But, I also love my veggies and, from time to time, both for health and financial reasons, a meatless meal is a good idea. Now, in the warm summer, that can take the form of a good salad, b ut when it's cold out, you need something warm and hearty.
There are a few vegetables that can take the center stage in a meal. First, beans; pintos, northern, black, any will do.. They provide a world of vitamins and minerals and a good bit of protein. They can be mixed with any combination of other vegetables and herbs and, besides being healthy, they are cheap. In the old days, we used to soak the dry beans overnight, then boil them until tender. Don't bother. Simply use canned beans; they are just as good and you can still mix them with anything and get a good flavor. I do not recommend frozen; they have no texture and come out like little rocks.
Mushrooms are another option. You do not have to use the expensive varieties. They are great, but you get good flavor from the plain old button mushrooms. Remember, they cook quickly and they will absorb a lot of liquid. Again, they have a meaty texture and will blend well with almost anything.
Then we have eggplant. This vegetable has a wonderful meaty texture and taste. Grilled, it is very nice. Like mushrooms, it will take a lot of liquid and if you saute it, it will take as much oil as you give it. Too many people think immediately of eggplant Parmesan, which is a fine dish, but let me give you a simple option. Peel and chop your eggplant into about 1 inch cubes ( it doesn't have to be exact). Boil in salty water until almost tender. Drain and set aside. Saute some celery and onion until tender and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, crumble a sleeve of Saltine crackers, add eggplant, celery and onion, then enough cold milk to make the whole thing a bit soupy. Add black pepper and thyme to taste. Then, stir in two beaten eggs and pour into a greased baking dish. Cover and cook at 325 about 45 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover, and top with bread crumbs and grated cheese (whatever you like) and put it under a broiler until the crumbs start to brown. Let sit for 10 minutes and serve. It should have the texture of a good turkey stuffing and, oddly enough, everyone I've served it to agrees that it tastes like baked oysters.
Meat gets expensive and, while it is good for you, here and there, it is nice to serve an inexpensive, tasty, healthy meal centered around vegetables.
There are a few vegetables that can take the center stage in a meal. First, beans; pintos, northern, black, any will do.. They provide a world of vitamins and minerals and a good bit of protein. They can be mixed with any combination of other vegetables and herbs and, besides being healthy, they are cheap. In the old days, we used to soak the dry beans overnight, then boil them until tender. Don't bother. Simply use canned beans; they are just as good and you can still mix them with anything and get a good flavor. I do not recommend frozen; they have no texture and come out like little rocks.
Mushrooms are another option. You do not have to use the expensive varieties. They are great, but you get good flavor from the plain old button mushrooms. Remember, they cook quickly and they will absorb a lot of liquid. Again, they have a meaty texture and will blend well with almost anything.
Then we have eggplant. This vegetable has a wonderful meaty texture and taste. Grilled, it is very nice. Like mushrooms, it will take a lot of liquid and if you saute it, it will take as much oil as you give it. Too many people think immediately of eggplant Parmesan, which is a fine dish, but let me give you a simple option. Peel and chop your eggplant into about 1 inch cubes ( it doesn't have to be exact). Boil in salty water until almost tender. Drain and set aside. Saute some celery and onion until tender and set aside. In a large mixing bowl, crumble a sleeve of Saltine crackers, add eggplant, celery and onion, then enough cold milk to make the whole thing a bit soupy. Add black pepper and thyme to taste. Then, stir in two beaten eggs and pour into a greased baking dish. Cover and cook at 325 about 45 minutes. Remove from oven, uncover, and top with bread crumbs and grated cheese (whatever you like) and put it under a broiler until the crumbs start to brown. Let sit for 10 minutes and serve. It should have the texture of a good turkey stuffing and, oddly enough, everyone I've served it to agrees that it tastes like baked oysters.
Meat gets expensive and, while it is good for you, here and there, it is nice to serve an inexpensive, tasty, healthy meal centered around vegetables.
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