Yesterday we whipped up a real family (& friends) Sunday dinner:
Roasted turkey breast, Garlicky green beans, Irresistible sautéed mushrooms, Creamy Cauliflower and a Vegetable tray.
Turkey breast was simply roasted with salt and pepper. I chose one on the bone for flavor and gave it time to develop a nice, crispy brown. Garlicky green beans consists of a quick turn in the wok with plenty of minced garlic. Creamy cauliflower is a suitable sub for mashed potatoes, particularly if you have guests that don't like mashed potatoes. Yes, there are people like that and we're related to one. I like it because it takes up less burner space and requires less effort: a quick steam for the florets then mashed with some butter, pepper, call it good. A vegetable tray in my house is a mad affair, with a plate piled with every kind of olive, pickle, fresh vegetable, cheese, and whatever we have available from crackers to rolls to nuts.
But all that is menu talk. Say you're cooking for low-carbers, or just for people who really like flavor. Serve them irresistible sautéed mushrooms! Cook these while your turkey is resting.
Irresistible sautéed mushrooms
- 1 lb assorted mushrooms, diced as small as you can by hand
- Splash of good olive oil
- 1/4 palmful of diced onion, give or take depending on your love of onions
- Fresh black pepper
- Scant pinch of paprika
- Turkey pan drippings (to taste - see steps)
- Kosher salt (to taste - see steps and whatever you do, don't salt it while cooking!)
First: Clean and dice the mushrooms. I use whatever we have on hand, usually a blend of white button and portabella.
Next: Give the sauté pan a good splash of the olive oil, but not a pour. Mushrooms absorb the oil and will release it later, and trust me you don't want it too oily. Set to medium heat. Add mushrooms and diced onion at the same time, as you'll break them down together and we don't want to completely overcook the onions. Start the sauté, keeping it moving now and then.
Then: Pepper on whim. Not too much, here. We want the flavor that is coming later to stand out. Add a scant pinch of paprika. I don't know why, I just like it.
Now: Sauté sauté sauté. The mushrooms don't need to become pate in the pan, they just need to give. I know you've timed this with your turkey resting. Before you fire up the gravy, pour a little of the roasting pan juices into the mushroom mixture. Use a gentle hand because you can always add more flavor and oil via the drippings but you can't take it out! What you're looking for is a really sturdy starting flavor note of _turkey_ that gives way to a deepened mushroom flavor. Cook until the drippings have reduced/absorbed and take it off the heat.
Serve this alongside the rest of the meal. The smaller the dice the more easy it is to nearly spread on turkey slices or eat in very small spoonfuls. Fans of gravy will skip the gravy in lieu of the mushrooms. Low-carbers love you for not serving them ladles of starch. People who love rich food will want to eat this spread on slices of bread. Frankly, I'm happy eating this with crackers and calling it dinner. Please try this recipe and adapt as you like, and share your ideas here.
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Julia Schrenkler
American Public Media Interactive Producer
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Comments: 7
Does your husband object to the flavor or the texture?
I do the exact opposite of your ordering. I put the mushrooms in a non-stick skillet and add salt. Then cook them over medium heat, stirring often, until they begin to give up their liquid. Then I add a splash of olive oil, thyme, white pepper, and chopped shallots and continue cooking until most of the liquid has cooked out. Then some red wine and a quick reduction.
But however they're done, sauteed mushrooms are hard to beat. I served them to a class last night on grits. The students were scraping their bowls.
p.s. Love the addition of thyme!