Black Spaghetti Recipe
Henof the woods & oyster mushrooms, fiddleheads, mushroom creams
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Ingredients
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Pasta & finishing
Mushroom cream & aromatics
Method
Pasta & finishing
- 1
Cook the pasta
Bring a large pot of water to a rolling boil, salt generously (about 1 tbsp kosher salt per 4–6 quarts). Add the black spaghetti and cook until al dente per package instructions (usually 8–10 minutes). Reserve 1 1/2 cups of pasta cooking water, then drain the pasta and set aside.
- 2
Finish and toss
In a large sauté pan over medium heat, add 2 tbsp olive oil and 2 tbsp butter. Once butter foams, add the cooked spaghetti and 1/2 cup of reserved pasta water. Toss to coat and warm through for 1 minute. Add a squeeze of half the lemon (about 1 tsp juice) and half the lemon zest, 1 oz grated Parmigiano-Reggiano, and the sliced chives. Toss again; if the pasta seems dry, add more reserved cooking water, 2 tbsp at a time, until silky. Season with sea salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste. Keep warm while you plate.
Mushroom cream & aromatics
- 3
Prepare fiddleheads
Trim any brown ends from the fiddleheads and rinse thoroughly to remove grit. Bring a small pot of salted water to a boil and blanch the fiddleheads for 1–2 minutes until bright green and tender-crisp. Immediately transfer to an ice bath to stop cooking. Drain and set aside.
- 4
Sear mushrooms
Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat and add 2 tbsp olive oil. When shimmering, add the hen-of-the-woods pieces in a single layer (work in batches if necessary) and let them brown undisturbed for 2–3 minutes, then toss and brown another 1–2 minutes. Add the oyster mushrooms and continue to cook until both are golden and any released liquid has evaporated, about 4–6 minutes total. Season lightly with salt and pepper while cooking. Transfer mushrooms to a bowl and set aside.
- 5
Build the cream sauce
Reduce heat to medium. In the same skillet, add 1 tbsp unsalted butter and the minced shallots. Sauté until translucent, about 2 minutes, then add the garlic and thyme and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Pour in 1 cup dry white wine to deglaze the pan, scraping up browned bits; simmer until reduced by about half, roughly 3–4 minutes. Add 1 cup stock and simmer 3 minutes to meld flavors.
- 6
Finish the mushroom cream
Return the browned mushrooms to the skillet and stir to combine. Stir in 3 oz heavy cream and 2 tbsp crème fraîche (if using). Simmer gently until the sauce thickens slightly, about 2–3 minutes. Turn off the heat and whisk in 1 tbsp cold butter to enrich and slightly emulsify the sauce. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt and pepper. Fold in the blanched fiddleheads and chopped parsley; warm through for 30–60 seconds.
- 7
Combine and serve
Add the mushroom cream mixture directly to the warmed black spaghetti in the large sauté pan (or transfer pasta to the skillet). Toss gently until pasta is evenly coated, adding reserved pasta water 1–2 tbsp as needed to achieve a silky consistency. Plate the pasta, finishing with remaining lemon zest, a final grind of black pepper, a sprinkle of Parmigiano-Reggiano, and a few extra thyme leaves or chives. Serve immediately.
