Broiled Mushrooms

Oh, so delicious! I would eat a vulgarly large portion - like, all of them - over polenta but I had not in fact made polenta and also had to share them with Mr. Ferdzy. Pity.

I bought black oyster mushrooms for this on a whim and they were delicious but I think button mushrooms or any other firm meaty but not too large mushroom would also work well.

Besides polenta I can see these going very well with steak, chicken, veal, or salmon. Yeah; meat. But for vegetarians (and everyone else), in addition to the polenta I can see tossing them with a little buttered pasta and serving them as a starter course in a fancy dinner. Or even on toast and serving them as bruschetta. Mmm...

2 to 4 servings
15 minutes prep time

 Make the Sauce:
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 or 2 cloves of garlic
1/2 teaspoon finely minced fresh thyme, oregano, or savory
OR 1/4 teaspoon dry rubbed thyme, oregano, or savory
1 tablespoon balsamic vinegar
1 teaspoon soy sauce

Put the butter in a small heat-proof bowl. Peel and mince the garlic, and add it. Wash, dry, and mince the herb of choice (if fresh) and add it, or just add it if using dry. Measure in the vinegar and soy sauce. Heat the mixture in the microwave for 20 to 40 seconds,  until the butter is melted. Or, put it in the oven as the broiler heats until the butter is melted. 

Finish the Mushrooms:
2 tablespoons cracker or bread crumbs
2 tablespoons finely grated Parmesan cheese
115 to 125 grams (1/4 pound) fresh mushrooms

For this small amount of crumbs it was easiest to just pound 2 fairly standard crackers with my mortar and pestle. You could bash 'em with a rolling pin too. Mix the crumbs with the cheese in a small bowl.

Clean and pick over the mushrooms, removing any tough stems or bad bits. Use oyster mushrooms, button mushroom, shiitake, or a mixture of mushrooms. If using shiitake, be generous with them as the stems are all tough and must be removed.

Arrange the top oven rack so that it is about 4" from the broiler. (For me, one slot down from the top.) Preheat the broiler.

Toss the mushrooms with the sauce in a shallow pan that can go under the broiler. Sprinkle the crumbs evenly over them. Broil until done, abut 3 to 6 minutes depending on the size of the mushrooms and the distance from the broiler. Watch them carefully after the first couple of minutes in other words; they can go pretty fast.




Last year at this time I made Leek, Mushroom, & Dried Tomato Soup and Turkey Tourtière.

Posted in: Ontario Food