The Flexitarian Cook

The Far Side, by Gary Larson

Most people (and gorillas, apparently) have a hard time keeping away from some kind of food.  Chips, ice-cream, cookies, something crunchy, salty or sweet (heck, bananas too) are just the kind of fix many of us need at some time or other. We all have our favorites, don’t we? Personally, I’d advise you keep the Lindt chocolate well-hidden when I come to visit, because if I see it lying around, things might just get awkward, if you know what I mean. My son is the Doritos guy, the spicier the better. Robert is the ice-cream junkie in the family. Most of the time, he’s a master of self-control, but give him a pint of Ben & Jerry’s, and all bets are off. There’s a reason why he runs 30 miles a week.

My daughter is a bit different. She also enjoys her share of salty, sweet and/or crunchy snacks, but the thing she loves the most is marinated mushrooms. Not chocolate, not cookies. No, siree. Mushrooms that have been briefly sautéed and left to soak for a few hours in a lime juice and olive oil concoction, that’s her thing. She loves them so much, in fact, that she’s asked for a dinner of just those (a large quantity of those) for her birthday.  As you might imagine, I will be more than happy to oblige, particularly since they’re a very simple dish to prepare.  As a parent, I’m glad to see her tastes gravitate toward home-cooked, wholesome foods.

Another great property of marinated mushrooms, beyond their being a cinch to make, is that they’re  rich in potassium and a couple of B vitamins, as well as a blast of vitamin C from the lime juice in the recipe.  That last one is what I think my daughter really enjoys: the salty, garlicky bite, followed by a sour burst. Come to think of it, that’s why I love them too. Try them as an appetizer: like Sid’s friend, you just might go bananas.

Marinated Mushrooms

1 lb sliced portabellas

juice of 2 limes

1/3 cup extra virgin olive oil

2 cloves garlic

1 tsp chopped fresh rosemary, or 1/2 tsp dried

salt and pepper to taste

Cook the portabellas in a little bit of olive oil with some salt and pepper. Cook them on both sides until they get soft and golden.

While they cook, prepare the marinade: mix together the lime juice, olive oil, garlic and rosemary. Adjust the amounts of juice and oil to make sure you get about 1 part lime juice to 1.5 parts olive oil. Add a little bit of salt and pepper. Whisk well to emulsify.

I started out with only one lime but really needed two this time, as they were small.

When the mushrooms are cooked, put them in a large bowl along with the marinade, cover, and refrigerate for a few hours.

Those mushrooms look pretty happy in there, don't they?

Serve on slices of toasted, crusty bread, like this:

In fact, it looks like they're smiling!

Tags: appetizer, favorites, mushrooms, portabellas

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