Recipe: Spiced Shiitake Mushrooms

Recipe

Spiced Shiitake Mushrooms

Serves 4 to 6

These mushrooms make a fine appetizer, either alone or accompanied by "honeyed" nuts, Cold Beer Shrimp or Spicy Cucumbers with Sichuan Peppercorn Vinaigrette. They may also be served with meat or game.

1 pound small fresh shiitake mushrooms, preferably 1-1/2 inches in diameter
1/2 cup olive oil
3 garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon Asian sesame oil
1 tablespoon soy sauce
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
2 scallions, white part only, chopped
1/2 fresh jalapeño pepper, finely diced (optional)
Coarse or kosher salt
Freshly ground pepper

Remove stems from the shiitake mushrooms and wipe the caps with a damp cloth. If the mushrooms are small, leave them whole; if large, cut them into halves or quarters.
Heat the olive oil in a large skillet. Add the garlic and cook over high heat, stirring, until it is golden 2 to 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and the sesame oil. Stir well, cover and continue cooking over high heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender.
Add the soy sauce, lemon juice, scallions, jalapeño pepper, if using, and salt and pepper to taste. Cook for 1 minute, or until the mushrooms have absorbed the sauce. Remove from the heat.
Spoon the mushrooms and the sauce into a serving bowl. Serve at room temperature or cold.

Note: After removing the mushrooms from the pan, save any remaining oil for salad dressing or stir frying.

Susanna Foo Chinese Cuisine
The Fabulous Flavors and Innovative Recipes of
North America's Finest Chinese Cook
by Susanna Foo
Photography by Louis B. Wallach
Chapters Publishing
October 15, 1995
$35.00/hardcover
30 full-color photographs throughout
ISBN: 1-881527-94-8