Mushrooms A La Planta Recipe

Clean and slice mushrooms

Wipe mushrooms with a damp towel or briefly rinse and pat dry. Trim tough stems and cut larger mushrooms into 1/2-inch to 1-inch pieces so pieces are uniform. Keep delicate mushrooms (like chanterelles) mostly whole or halved.

Mince garlic, dice onion, celery, and optional fennel/leek. Thinly slice the chili and zest and juice the lemon. Measure the Madeira.

Heat a wide, heavy skillet or sauté pan over medium heat. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil. When warm, add the diced onion, celery, and fennel/leek. Season with 1/2 tsp salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until the vegetables are softened and translucent, about 6–8 minutes.

Add the minced garlic and cook 30–60 seconds until fragrant but not browned. Reduce heat to low to keep aromatics from burning; transfer soffrito to a bowl and set aside.

Increase heat to medium-high and add 2 tbsp olive oil and 1 tbsp butter to the same skillet. When oil is hot and butter foaming, add the prepared mushrooms in a single layer as much as fits; work in batches if necessary so mushrooms sear instead of steam.

Season mushrooms with 1 tsp salt and 1 tsp black pepper. Let them cook undisturbed 3–4 minutes to brown on one side, then stir and continue to cook until golden and any released liquid has mostly evaporated, about 4–6 more minutes.

As the last minute of cooking, add the thinly sliced chili and return the reserved soffrito to the pan, stirring to combine and warm through.

Deglaze the pan with 1/4 cup Madeira (or sherry), scraping up browned bits from the bottom with a wooden spoon. Allow the alcohol to cook off and the liquid to reduce by about half, 1–2 minutes.

Stir in 1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice and 1 teaspoon lemon zest. If using Pernod/pastis, add 1 tsp now for an anise note. Reduce heat to low and swirl in 1 tablespoon cold butter to create a glossy finish. Taste and adjust seasoning with additional salt, pepper, or lemon as needed.

Fold in 2 tablespoons chopped parsley right before removing from heat.

Spoon the Mushrooms A La Planta onto slices of crusty bread or grilled polenta. Garnish with extra parsley or microgreens and an additional drizzle of olive oil if desired. Serve immediately while warm.