Seasonal Mushrooms Recipe

Clean and trim mushrooms

Gently wipe each mushroom with a damp paper towel or soft brush to remove dirt. Trim tough stems from shiitake or other varieties; leave smaller mushrooms whole and halve or quarter larger ones so pieces are roughly uniform, about 1 to 1½ inches.

Prepare aromatics and herbs

Peel and finely mince the shallots. Smash and mince the garlic. Strip thyme leaves from stems and roughly chop the parsley. Zest half the lemon and cut the lemon in half; reserve juice from half for finishing.

Heat pan and render flavors

Place a large skillet (preferably stainless steel or cast iron) over medium-high heat. Add olive oil and 1 tablespoon of butter. When the butter is foaming and the pan is hot but not smoking, add the mushrooms in a single layer. You may need to cook in two batches so they brown instead of steam.

Brown the mushrooms

Let mushrooms sit undisturbed for 2–3 minutes to develop a deep brown sear, then stir or toss and continue cooking for another 2–3 minutes until golden. Season with 1/2 teaspoon sea salt and 1/2 teaspoon black pepper while cooking.

Add aromatics

Push mushrooms to the sides of the pan. Add remaining 2 tablespoons butter to the center; when melted, add shallots and cook 1–2 minutes until softened and translucent. Add garlic and thyme and cook 30–45 seconds until fragrant, stirring with the mushrooms to coat.

Deglaze and finish

Pour in the white wine or sherry and the stock tablespoon; scrape up any brown bits from the pan with a wooden spoon. Cook briskly for 1–2 minutes until most of the liquid has evaporated and the mushrooms are glossy. Taste and adjust seasoning with remaining 1/2 teaspoon sea salt, 1/2 teaspoon pepper, and red pepper flakes.

Finish with lemon and herbs

Remove pan from heat. Stir in lemon zest, a squeeze (about 1 tablespoon) of lemon juice, and the chopped parsley. Toss to combine.

Serve

If using, pile mushrooms on toasted bread slices or spoon over warm polenta. Sprinkle with grated Parmesan if desired and finish with a light drizzle of olive oil or an extra pinch of parsley. Serve immediately.