| Cremini Mushrooms | |||||||||||||
| Cremini mushrooms are one of those foodstuffs that have made a fairly recent appearance in supermarket produce sections. Also known as Italian brown or baby portabellos, cremini are related to the familiar white button mushroom, but have a lot more flavor than the whites. If cremini are left in the growing medium to mature, they grow into portobellos. The earthy, rich taste of cremini are best showcased in simple, straightforward recipes where a few extra ingredients highlight and don’t mask their flavor. To clean cremini, place in a wire colander and give them a quick rinse under the faucet. Never let them soak in water because they will absorb a lot of moisture and won’t brown properly. Cremini vary in size from 1/2 inch to about 2 inches across. Any size is good for sautéing, but in the soup recipe use the smaller mushrooms with tight, closed caps or remove the dark gills from larger mushrooms as the gills will turn the soup an unappetizing dark color. Sue Kleber |
Cremini Mushroom Soup (Makes 10 first course servings) 2 large onions, minced 4 stalks celery, minced 1 lb. cremini mushrooms, minced 1/2 cup AP flour 2 qts. chicken stock |
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| 8 oz. butter, divided 2 tsp. thyme 1 tsp. marjoram 1 lb. cremini mushrooms, sliced 1 to 1 1/2 cups half and half salt and pepper |
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| Slowly sauté minced vegetables in butter. Add flour and sauté. Add herbs and briefly heat. Add chicken stock and stir to smooth. Cook for 1/2 hour. Meanwhile, sauté sliced mushrooms until very lightly brown. When stock is done, puree in food processor. Add sautéed mushrooms. Just before service, warm soup and add half and half and then never allow the soup to boil. | |||||||||||||
| Mushroom Marinara (Makes enough for 1/2 lb. pasta) 8 oz. cremini mushrooms, sliced 1/4 cup minced shallot or 1/2 cup minced yellow onion 2 cloves garlic, minced 3 TB tomato paste scant TB dried oregano |
14 1/2 oz. can diced peeled tomatoes in juice (S&W brand has a nice, fresh taste) 1/4 cup Italian parsley, minced 1/2 tsp. red pepper flakes olive oil salt and pepper 1/2 lb. favorite pasta shape grated parmigiano reggiano cheese |
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| Sauté mushrooms in olive oil over fairly high heat until golden and remove from skillet. Add additional oil and sauté shallots and garlic. Add tomato paste and oregano and cook until the paste turns dark red-brown. Add diced tomatoes and juice, parsley and pepper flakes and 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt. Cook for about 10 minutes until the tomatoes just begin to soften and make the sauce. The beauty of this sauce is its light, fresh tomato taste. Mix half of the sauce with the hot cooked pasta and let the pasta absorb the sauce. Pour into a serving bowl, top with the additional sauce and the cheese. | |||||||||||||
| Cremini Crostini 1 lb. cremini mushrooms, sliced 1 tsp. thyme or sage 2 cloves garlic, minced olive oil |
3 oz. grated gruyere or parmesan cheese 1/2” thick baguette slices, lightly toasted or grilled truffle oil (optional-available at Star Market, Salinas) |
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Courtesy of:
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Sauté mushrooms, garlic, and chosen herb in oil until brown. Top bread slices with mushroom mixture, top with 3 or 4 drops of truffle oil, add cheese topping and bake in 325 degree oven just until cheese melts. | ||||||||||||
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