Mixed Mushroom Lasagna with Gorgonzola Sauce

This is one of the reasons we’ll be on a clear soup diet by New Year’s. This rich and homey dish transforms into an elegant buffet entrée with thin fresh pasta sheets, mixed mushrooms seasoned with thyme, lapped with a creamy gorgonzola cheese sauce. I tend to make vegetable lasagnas with fewer layers than other versions. Served in small servings, they offer a few savory bites, with crispy edges and creamy filling.  I made this lasagna for a Christmas luncheon, along with noodle-free butternut squash lasagna with leeks and mushrooms, and a chicken and red pepper lasagna with spinach pasta. Much to my surprise, rather than picking one, most of the guests sampled them all. This was a good lesson in menu planning as the three lasagnas and the sides (ham, wild rice salad, broccolini and garlicky red pepper, braised fennel, green salad, and bread) could be assembled in many combinations. Go Mom.

I’ve made this lasagna numerous times, successively diminishing the amount of salt, butter and milk fats, and varying the mushroom combinations and herbs. In the spring, I pluck blade-like tarragon leaves from my pot garden. In winter, I snip over-wintering thyme. The recipe originated with Susan Wyler, once an editor of Food & Wine Magazine and the author of Cooking for a Crowd.  The mushrooms and the sauce can be prepared days in advance. By using fresh pasta sheets, which are softened for a minute in boiling water and patted dry with towels, assembly is quick.  After baking until the top is golden, you can serve as is or sprinkled with reserved mushroom slices so that the guests can figure out what might be inside.

Mixed Mushroom Lasagna with Gorgonzola Sauce adapted from Susan Wyler, Food & Wine

1 oz dried mushrooms (first choice porcini, or a combination of porcini and chanterelles)

1½ c boiling water

1 lb fresh cremini mushrooms (or use white mushrooms or a combination)

6 tbsp unsalted butter, divided (1 tbsp, 1 tbsp, 4 tbsp)

2 tbsp olive oil, divided

Salt and black pepper

A couple of pinches of cayenne pepper (divided)

1 medium sprig fresh thyme or tarragon (about 1–1½ tsp of leaves)

2 shallots, minced (divided in half)

1 clove garlic, minced

2 tbsp freshly squeezed lemon juice (divided in half)

½ lb shitake mushrooms

¼ c all-purpose flour

1 c milk (lowfat is fine)

½ c heavy cream (can cut this back and increase the milk)

¼ lb gorgonzola dolcelatte cheese (or a combination of regular and the milder dolcelatte)

¼ c grated Parmesan cheese, plus an additional 2 tbsp for sprinkling on top

Optional garnish: sautéed mushroom slices or chunks

Fresh sheet pasta to line a 9×13-inch baking dish (about ½- ¾ lb homemade or more if store bought in packages; you can use dried pasta instead but use flat sheets without curly edges)

Butter for the pan

Prepare the dried mushrooms and mushroom broth. In a small bowl, cover the dried mushrooms with boiling water and set aside for 30 minutes. Drain, reserving the liquid (you should have about 1 cup).  Strain the liquid in cheesecloth if gritty. Chop the mushrooms into small pieces and set aside.

Prepare the duxelles. Coarsely chop the cremini or white mushrooms. Melt 1 tbsp butter in 1 tbsp olive oil in a large sauté pan and add 1 tbsp of the shallots, cooking them gently until translucent. Add the garlic and stir until it becomes aromatic. Add the chopped mushrooms and cook over medium heat, stirring, until the mushrooms have exuded their liquid and become nearly dry.  Stir in 1 tbsp the lemon juice, season with salt, black pepper and cayenne and add the herbs. Set aside.

Prepare the shitake mushrooms and assemble the mushroom mixture. Remove the stems and reserve for another use (add to vegetable broth). Clean the caps and slice them, cutting them in half if large. Melt 1 tbsp butter in 1 tbsp olive oil in a large sauté pan and add the remaining 1 tbsp of the shallots, cooking them gently until translucent. Add the sliced mushrooms and cook over medium heat, stirring. Add the reserved reconstituted dried mushrooms and ½ c of the reserved mushroom broth, and cook, partially covered, for about 5 minutes or until the mushrooms are nearly tender. Uncover the pan and cook the mushrooms, stirring, until the liquid has evaporated.  Stir in the remaining 1 tbsp lemon juice and season with salt and black pepper. Add the duxelles and set aside.  The mushroom mixture can be made up to a few days ahead of assembling and baking the lasagna. Bring to room temperature before proceeding.

Make the gorgonzola sauce. Melt 4 tbsp butter in a medium saucepan and add the flour, whisking to combine well. Cook for 2-3 minutes over medium heat to cook the flour slightly, whisking. Do not let it brown. Gradually whisk in the reserved ½ c of mushroom broth, milk and cream, and bring the mixture nearly to a boil. Lower the heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until thick. Remove from the heat. Add the gorgonzola cheese and ¼ c of Parmesan cheese and stir until smooth. Season with a pinch of cayenne and a little salt if needed.  The sauce can be made up to a few days ahead of assembling and baking the lasagna. Bring to room temperature before proceeding (lightly heat in a pan).

Prepare the noodles. Cut the pasta sheets to fit into the baking pan (9×13 inch glass or ceramic pan), extending a little up the sides. Bring a large pot of salted water to a boil. Place a large bowl of ice water in the sink and spread towels on the countertop. Add one pasta sheet at a time and cook for 1 minute.  Cook for 2 minutes if you have thick sheets of pasta or longer if using dried noodles unless they’re the no-boil type, in which case I recommend dunking them in water first. Remove the pasta and dunk in ice water to stop cooking and spread it flat on the towels to dry.

Assemble and bake the lasagna. Heat the oven to 375 degrees. Butter the bottom and sides of the baking pan. Add a layer of noodles, overlapping them slightly. Cover with half the mushroom mixture. Spoon on 1/3 of the sauce. Cover with another layer of noodles, mushrooms and sauce. Top with the remaining sauce and sprinkle with 2 tbsp grated Parmesan cheese. Bake for about 30 minutes or until the top is golden brown. Remove and set aside for 10-15 minutes.  As an optional garnish, you can top the lasagna with sautéed mushrooms.

Serves 8-12.

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Marinated Mushrooms with Cinnamon and Thyme

My interest in mushrooms returns with cold weather. Although we have abundant local, sustainably farmed mushrooms all year round, I can barely look at them in the summer. But their earthy countenance is perfect for the crispness of autumn and they’ll be welcome in warm vegetable stews when the snow flies.

I made these as part of an antipasto platter last weekend, but they’re equally good as a stand-alone appetizer or a side dish. The vegetable overtones provided by the garlic, parsley and thyme are fairly predictable but the addition of cinnamon warms the flavors to an alluring sweetness that lingers deliciously. The dish comes together quickly and can be made days ahead, so it’s perfect for parties. 

Mushrooms with Cinnamon and Thyme adapted from Viana La Place, Verdura

1 lb small mushrooms of roughly equal size (I used baby bellas)

¼ c extra-virgin olive oil

3 garlic cloves, peeled and chopped

3 sprigs thyme, leaves removed and chopped if large

3 tbsp chopped Italian flat-leaved parsley

1 small stick cinnamon, broken in half

Juice of 1 lemon

Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste

Clean the mushrooms with a damp towel but do not rinse. Trim the stem even with the cap, reserving the trimmings for another use. Cut large caps in half.

Combine the olive oil, garlic, thyme, parsley and cinnamon in a large sauté pan and warm over low heat for 2-3 minutes.

Add the mushrooms, raise the heat to medium and sauté for about 4-5 minutes (less for smaller mushrooms since you want them to remain firm at this point), stirring frequently. Lower the heat, add the lemon juice and season to taste with salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook for about 2 minutes, until the mushrooms are tender but still firm.

Transfer the mushrooms to a dish to cool. Cover them and let them marinate for an hour before serving or store for up to several days in the refrigerator. They improve as they age. Bring them to room temperature before serving as an appetizer.

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Baked White Fish with Spinach, Leeks and Mushrooms

In early spring, the leeks and spinach from the farmers market are unbelievably sweet and delicious. The spinach has none of that slight taste of minerals that it will later have, and it’s available in abundance. Combined with local mushrooms and locally fished flounder, they made for a flavorful and healthy supper.

 I have been asked a few times for simple ways to make a foolproof fish dish, and this is one. I cook the three vegetables one at a time in the same pan to avoid too much cleanup.  I’ve made this twice in the past two weeks. The first time, I combined the spinach, leeks and mushrooms as a base, reserving some of the mushroom-leek mixture to scatter on top with tarragon. The second time, spinach alone made the base and the topping of leeks, mushrooms and tarragon nearly smothered the fish and kept it moist during its time in the oven. This dish feels very clean and healthy for this time of year.

Baked White Fish with Spinach, Leeks and Mushrooms

½ lb flounder or sole (3-4 small pieces) or fluke flounder (1 piece)

1 bunch spinach

1 leek

6-8 cremini mushrooms

Butter

Salt

Fresh green herbs: tarragon, parsley, dill or lovage, or a combination

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lightly butter a baking dish that will just hold the fish in one layer.

Stem the spinach and wash the leaves well. Shake them to remove excess water and wilt them in a large pan on top of the stove. Remove the spinach to a colander to cool and drain. Wipe out the pan since you’ll use it for the leeks and then the mushrooms. When the spinach is cool, squeeze out the excess moisture and place the leaves in the bottom of the baking dish (you can slice the leave if they’re very large). Place the fish on top.

Slice the white and light green part of the leek lengthwise and clean well. Slice it crosswise into thin slices. Melt a small bit of butter (a teaspoon or less) in the pan and place it over medium-low heat. Saute the leek lightly until coated with butter. Add a teaspoon of water and cover the pan. The leek will cook until tender in a couple of minutes. Spoon it over the fish.

Wipe the mushrooms with a cloth to remove any loose dirt, trim the stem if necessary, and chop them in to 1/4-inch cubes (or slice them thinly). Add another teaspoon of butter to the pan, turn the heat to medium-high, and cook the mushrooms in one layer until lightly browned on one side. Toss to cook for another minute, and add to the leeks on top of the fish. Add a few chopped herbs.

Bake in the oven until the fish is cooked through, about 10 minutes. Let the dish sit for a minute or two after removing from the oven to let the fish firm up a bit.

Serves 2-3.

Alternative: add most of the leeks and mushrooms to the spinach base and scatter the rest on top before baking.

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Asparagus, Leek and Mushroom Lasagna

Early local spring vegetables baked with lasagna noodles epitomize the season with light, bright flavors in a warm, comforting dish that beats April’s lingering chill. Vegetarian lasagna seemed just right for the time of year, when the sky is crisp and clear and temperatures tease from bluster to balm. This is also a good do-ahead dish for weekends like Easter when people come and go. The combination of flavors and textures was terrific.

I made the lasagna in steps since there are quite a few, but nothing’s complicated. First I cooked each of the vegetables separately, and then the two sauces, one with vegetable broth to bind the asparagus, leeks and mushrooms and the other, a milk-based sauce for the topping. Everything was set aside to cool until I was ready to assemble and bake the lasagna. The filling was pretty stiff and not at all runny; it was watery enough to infuse the noodles but produced a firm result. That’s the goal. This is dependent on how absorptive the noodles are.

I used no-boil lasagna noodles just because I had them, having bought them by accident and not wanting to go back to the store or make my own. I liked them for being flat and thin but they need to be cooked differently from boiled or fresh noodles. Since you put the stiff little planks in the baking dish as is, it’s easiest to find a dish of a similar dimension. My 9×9-inch glass pan worked well for three noodle sheets: two side by side and the other split vertically to overlap on top and side. 

I used four layers of noodles and three of filling, with a béchamel and asparagus topping. What I found important was to cook the lasagna covered in foil for 50 minutes so that the noodles cook. I removed the foil and let the top brown for another 10 minutes, plus a couple under the “broiler” (if that’s what you call the overhead flame in my archaic stove). Lasagna needs to rest for 10-15 minutes before serving. By the way, the asparagus garnish might start out looking like well lined-up stalks, but baking the noodles gives them the old heave-ho. This is a rustic dish.

Asparagus, Leek and Mushroom Lasagna

Lasagna filling and noodles

3 medium or 2 large leeks, split lengthwise, cleaned and sliced crosswise (1 c)

4 oz mushrooms, a combination of shitakes and cremini, stems removed and reserved and chopped into 1/4 -inch pieces (1 c)

1 bunch asparagus, ends snapped, cut into 3/8-inch diagonal slices (1½-2 c)

3 tbsp butter, divided

1½ tbsp flour, divided

Approximately1 c vegetable broth (see note) or chicken stock, warmed

2 tbsp heavy cream

½ c grated Parmesan cheese

Salt and pepper

Approximately ¾ lb lasagna noodles (I used no-boil, but if you use standard dried lasagna, lightly cook it in boiling water until slightly tender but not mushy. I used 12 sheets, 4 layers of 3 noodles.)

Bechamel and asparagus topping

1 tbsp butter

1 tbsp flour

1 c milk, warmed

¼ c grated Parmesan cheese

6 spears of asparagus, lightly steamed and trimmed to fit the pan

Prepare the vegetables individually, cleaning out the pan after each one if cooked. Over medium-low heat, saute the sliced leeks slowly in 1 tsp butter, add 1-2 tsp vegetable broth, cover the pan and let braise for 2-3 minutes until soft but not mushy. Set aside to cool. Over medium-high heat, saute the mushrooms in 2 tsp butter and set aside to cool. Over medium heat, saute the asparagus in 1 tsp butter to coat, add 2 tbsp vegetable broth, cover the pan and steam for a few minutes until crisp-tender. Set aside to cool. Lightly salt the vegetables as they cool.

Make the sauce for the vegetables. Melt the remaining butter (1½ tbsp) over medium heat, add the flour and whisk to combine. Let cook for about a minute, whisking. Gradually add the warmed broth or stock, whisking, to make a smooth sauce. Cook over medium-low heat for about 5 minutes, until the raw taste of flour has disappeared. Add a little additional liquid if necessary. Turn off the heat and let the sauce cool for a minute or two. Add the cream and cheese and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Make the béchamel sauce for the topping. Melt butter in a pan, add the flour and whisk to combine. Let cook for about a minute, whisking. Gradually add the warmed milk, whisking, to make a smooth sauce. Cook over medium-low heat for about 3-4 minutes, whisking. Add the Parmesan cheese and salt to taste.

Assembly and baking

Assemble and bake the lasagna. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Use a 10×10-inch pan or a 7×11-inch pan, depending on the size of the noodles. (You have more flexibility if using fresh or boiled noodles, versus no-boil. No-boil can be cut but they’re brittle.) Smear a little béchamel sauce on the bottom of the pan. Place 3 noodles in a single layer, overlapping them slightly. Spoon a third of the vegetable sauce on top. Cover with three more noodles. Repeat twice, ending with a layer of noodles. Spread the béchamel sauce on top, smoothing it to cover the noodles completely. Place asparagus spears on top. If using no-boil noodles, bake, covered with foil, for 40 minutes. Remove foil and cook for a few more minutes until lightly browned. (Run under a broiler to finish browning if you would like.) If using boiled or fresh noodles, omit the foil covering. Let the cooked lasagna cool for 10-15 minutes before slicing and serving.

Serves 4-6.

Vegetable Broth

Place in a stockpot the well-washed trimmings of leeks and asparagus, mushroom stems, , along with an onion, carrot and celery stalk. Cover with water and bring to a boil, Add salt, lower the heat and simmer for 45-60 minutes. Let cool and strain.

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Indian-spiced Chickpeas and Mushrooms

Indian spices are the highlight of this otherwise earthy combination of cooked chickpeas and mushrooms, which is sparked by a generous amount of ginger. While I served it with chicken from our recent Sunday roast, it would be equally at home as a vegetarian meal with a salad or as the filling for a wrap, as the write-up recipe in At Home with Madhur Jaffrey suggests. Her recipes are always simple, and delicious. 

When I want to cook chickpeas, I look for organic dried peas from a source with a high turnover. Older beans could take hours to cook and end up mealy. Though I do resort to the overnight soak when in doubt about the age of these beans, I more typically place them in a Dutch oven, covered with ample water, and then cook them, starting with a cold oven, at 250 degrees for an hour and a half or so. Obviously, the time will be adjusted based on the doneness of the beans. I check them after about 45 minutes and add salt once they’ve just started to soften.  I almost always make an extra amount to freeze in pint containers, which end up being roughly equivalent to a 25-ounce can.

I generally followed Jaffrey’s recipe, but I diminished the amount of olive oil and added pan-roasted mushrooms at the end, in addition to the ones cooked in the sauce that surrounds the chickpeas. We had leftovers, and enjoyed the melding of the flavors with a couple of days’ rest.

Chickpeas with Mushrooms adapted from Madhur Jaffrey

2½ c cooked chickpeas with their liquid (1 pt homemade or a 25-oz can)

1 tbsp olive or vegetable oil

½ tsp whole cumin seeds

½ medium red onion, finely chopped

2 tsp finely grated peeled fresh ginger

1 large clove garlic, finely diced

15 medium cremini mushrooms, sliced (divided into two parts – 10 and 5)

2 tsp ground coriander

½ tsp ground cinnamon

½ tsp ground cumin

¼ tsp ground turmeric

¼ – ½ tsp cayenne pepper

1 plum tomato, chopped

1½ c reserved chickpea liquid or water

½-1 tsp salt

Drain the chickpeas and reserve the liquid.

Warm the oil in a wide saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the whole cumin seed and when it starts to sizzle, add the onion. Cook, stirring, until the edges of the onion start to brown. Add the ginger and garlic and stir to cook a few minutes. Add 10 of the sliced mushrooms and cook until just starting to soften. Add the spices and stir to combine well, Add the tomato and ½ cup of the chickpea liquid or water. Cover and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.

Add the reserved chickpeas and another ¾ cup of chickpea liquid or water, or a combination. Cover and cook over low heat for 15-20 minutes, checking from time to time to see if additional liquid is needed, and giving the mixture a good stir. Season with salt to taste.

Meanwhile, place the remaining 10 mushrooms in a saute pan and sprinkle with oil. Cook over medium-hot heat until the mushrooms brown and start to lose their juices. Flip them to sear briefly on the other side. When the chickpea mixture is finished, add the pan-roasted mushrooms just before serving.

Serves four.

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Marinated Mushrooms with Saba

Whenever I cook for a party, marinated mushrooms are inevitably on the menu.  I make them lots of different ways – mysteriously spiced with cinnamon, seasoned with various herbs (I especially like them with tarragon), and here, a sweet-sour version. These mushrooms are lightly poached in a balsamic vinaigrette with plenty of herbs.

Before serving, drizzled them with saba. Saba is a syrupy reduction of grape must (made from skins, seeds and flesh of the grapes) and comes from northern Italy. There are Spanish versions too. Mixed with a little balsamic vinegar, it adds an interesting depth and sweetness to the marinated vegetables. Saba was very popular in stores a few years ago. It’s used sparingly so if you buy too big a bottle, it will surely be a lifetime supply (like mine). My bottle’s so picturesque that I just like having it around Since I just resurrected it from the back of the cupboard, I have a few plans for it. . The syrup is amazing drizzled on blue cheese or on roasted carrots.

 The recipe comes from Paula Wolfert’s Slow Mediterranean Kitchen. I changed her proportions considerably, dramatically reducing the oil. I used tiny local cremini mushrooms from eastern Pennsylvania so I didn’t need to slice them for the salad or quarter them for the appetizer. One great trick that she uses (as does Christine Ferber, the French doyenne of jam) is crumpling parchment paper on top of the simmering (or in Ferber’s case, curing) ingredients. This holds in the heat but doesn’t make the dish steam as it would in a covered pot. Great technique.

 The mushrooms improve with age, so make them a day or so before serving. In addition to being served as an appetizer, they mushrooms are terrific in salads and as condiments served with meat or poultry. I loved this salad of frisee and sliced Belgian endive with baby arugula from my garden, garnished with the mushrooms and some walnuts.  The mushrooms’ marinade made a slightly sweet dressing for the bitter greens, perfect for this time of year.

Marinated Mushrooms with Saba adapted from Paul Wolfert

1 lb baby cremini mushrooms (or larger mushrooms, quartered)

¼ c olive oil

½ c balsamic vinegar (not the most expensive)

2 bay leaves

2 small or 1 large sprig of fresh rosemary

5-6 sprigs of fresh thyme

1 tbsp wildflower honey

Salt and freshly ground pepper

2 tsp saba balsamic

Clean the mushrooms with a towel (do not wash), and trim the bases flush with the caps. (Save the trimmings for vegetable broth or other uses.)

Bring the olive oil, vinegar, herbs, honey and salt and pepper to a boil, add the mushrooms and bring the liquid back to a boil. Turn down the heat. Crumple a piece of parchment paper on top of the mushrooms and let them simmer for 5-8 minutes depending on the size of the mushrooms. Remove from the heat and let stand for an hour or so until they reach room temperature. Refrigerate for at least a day.

When ready to serve, drain off the liquid (you can use save it to use as a salad dressing with the addition of a little more olive oil). Toss with the saba and serve as an appetizer with toothpicks.

The mushrooms keep for 3 days or so and are best on the second or third day.

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Mushroom Quinoa Soup

An aromatic, hearty soup for a cold spring day. A gluten-free version of mushroom barley soup, made with carrots and leeks and garnished with flavorful lovage. I used homemade beef stock but chicken stock or vegetable or mushroom broth would work also. This was a delicious antidote for the snappish weather during a break from preparing the gardens for spring planting.

Mushroom Quinoa Soup

1 lb (more or less) cremini or Portobello mushrooms (or a mixture of several kinds)

2 tsp (or more) butter or vegetable oil

1 leek, washed, trimmed and minced (white and light green sections

2 carrots, peeled and diced into ¼-inch cubes

4 c good quality chicken or beef stock or vegetable or mushroom broth

Salt and pepper to taste (or use a splash of wheat-free soy sauce)

1/3 c red quinoa

Lovage or parsley, torn into small pieces

Clean the mushrooms and chop them into small pieces, about 1/3-inch. Working in batches, heat about a teaspoon of butter or oil in a wide pan over medium-high heat. Add enough mushrooms to cover the bottom of the pan without overcrowding and let them cook undisturbed for a few minutes until they exude their juices. Stir and cook until tender. Remove them to a bowl, wipe out the pan and repeat with the remaining mushrooms.

Heat another teaspoon or two of butter in a soup pot and stir in the leeks and carrots, stirring to coat with the oil. Cook until the leek is just transparent. Add the mushrooms and stock or broth and cook at a simmer for about 5 minutes until the mixture feels well combined. Add the quinoa and simmer until the quinoa is cooked, about 20 minutes. Add chopped herbs to the soup and let it sit for a few minutes before serving with additional herb garnish.

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Dark Days Week 16: Pan-roasted Mushrooms and Roasted Tomatoes on Polenta

At one time, communities throughout the US had their own gristmills, where farmers could take their grain to be ground, leaving a small amount for the miller as his pay. We still see remnants of those buildings throughout the northeast. A couple of weeks ago, a writer named Scott Peacock, who collaborated with late Edna Lewis on a cookbook about southern food, was interviewed on NPR about his “Alabama Project,” a series of interviews with older folks about their food memories. One of the interesting stories compared biscuits and cornbread. Rural families routinely grew their own corn and took it to the community mill for grinding and therefore cornbread became a mealtime staple. However, wheat flour had to be purchased and therefore, with the family’s limited resources, biscuits were treated as precious. At breakfast time, people would fill up on the previous evening’s cornbread since there wouldn’t be enough biscuits to satisfy their hunger.

We don’t grow wheat in any quantity around here either, and the local flour mills that still operate in places like Lancaster County, Pennsylvania, source organically grown wheat from the Midwest. Corn, for us too, is another matter. There still are functioning mills, including one in Pittstown, New Jersey, that I believe organically raises corn and grinds its own cornmeal.  Freshly ground meal or flour has a shorter shelf life than commercial flour (no surprise) and I was pushing my luck with a bag of coarse cornmeal that I purchased at our local health food store. It was stored in an airtight container but I probably should have refrigerated or frozen it.

Although the Dark Days Challenge, a blog event that challenges participants to use only sustainable, organic, local and ethical ingredients, has folded for the year, I am continuing through to the original April 15 close. I find it a useful forum to focus on the topic of local, organic food, especially in the winter when little is growing. This week, I took advantage of local cornmeal, local Toma cheese, my homemade butter, organic tomatoes that I harvested at our CSA last summer, roasted with garlic and thyme, and froze, and our ever present local mushrooms, which I pan roasted with winter savory and thyme. I made the polenta in the microwave since I had little time on a weeknight to cook it on the stove (which I find tedious) or in the oven (my usual method). Polenta is served either as a relatively soft mush, as I did here, or is spread in a cake tin to cool, after which it is sliced and grilled.

Roasted tomatoes are great to have on hand since they become an instant sauce or add depth of flavor to soups and stews. I typically use up the last of the plum tomatoes this way, since by the end of the season, I’ve had it with canning. However, if you’re craving tomatoes in the winter, even the store bought plum tomatoes will be improve by roasting them.  I roast halved tomatoes in olive oil, cut side down, at 350 degrees for about 20 minutes, remove the skins and turn down the heat to 250 degrees and roast until slightly leathery but not dried out, about 2 hours.

Polenta

½ c coarse stone ground cornmeal

1 ¾ c water

½ tsp salt

1 tsp butter or olive oil

¼ c grated cheese (Cherry Grove Toma or Parmesan)

Oven method: mix cornmeal, water and salt in an ovenproof baking dish, cover and place in a preheated 325 degree oven. Uncover after 20 minutes and still in the butter or oil. Re-cover and bake for another 30-40 minutes, stirring a few times, until cooked. It should still be a little soupy. Mix in cheese if using, and serve immediately for soft polenta or spread in a cake pan until firm. Refrigerate and slice to grill.

Microwave version: Mix ingredients and microwave, covered with a plate for 8 minutes. Remove carefully (dish will be very hot), stir in butter or oil and return to oven, covered. Microwave for another 5 minutes, remove and stir again. It should be starting to clump. Repeat once or twice more, or until the cornmeal is cooked (taste it) and there is still some liquid in the pot. It will continue to cook. Mix in cheese if using, and serve immediately for soft polenta or spread in a cake pan until firm. Refrigerate and slice to grill.

Pan-roasted Mushrooms

1 lb mushrooms, preferably a mixture of types

1-2 tbsp olive oil

1 shallot, minced

1 clove garlic, minced

Salt and pepper

3/4 tsp dried thyme or winter savory or 1+ tsp fresh thyme or savory

Fresh herbs such as lovage, parsley, or tarragon

Optional: butter

Clean and slice the mushrooms. Working in batches that cover the bottom of a pan in one layer, sauté the mushrooms in olive oil over medium high heat until browned on one side. Toss. Add a portion of the shallot, garlic and seasonings and continue to cook for a few minutes until the shallots are cooked. Add a touch of butter if desired and remove to a bowl. Repeat with the rest of the mushrooms.

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Mushroom Risotto with Rosemary

Whenever I make mushroom risotto or its cousin mushroom pilaf (the difference being the technique), I make extra so that it can be shaped into little fried cakes, stuffed into cabbage rolls, or used in numerous other ways.  I cook the mushrooms first, making a chunky version of duxelles with minced onions and a little fresh rosemary, and add them to the rice when nearly cooked to let the flavors become acquainted.  The mushrooms can be seasoned with various woody herbs such as savory or thyme, and are good eaten on their own.

Mushroom Risotto with Rosemary

1 tbsp butter

1 small onion, minced

1 c Arborio rice

¼ c white wine

3 c homemade broth or stock ( I used chicken)

Pinch of salt

Fresh ground pepper

1 recipe sautéed mushrooms with rosemary (see below)

1/3 c freshly grated Parmesan cheese

To make the risotto, saute the onion slowly in the oil and/or butter. Add the rice and stir to coat. Add the white wine and stir to allow it to evaporate. Add 1/3 cup of stock, turn the heat to medium low or low (so it just simmers) and stir until the stock is absorbed. When the liquid is absorbed, add another 1/3 cup of stock, wait until it’s absorbed, stirring occasionally, and then repeat until the rice is tender but still al dente. This process will take about 20-25 minutes.

About 5-8 minutes before the risotto is done, add the sautéed mushrooms.

When the risotto is done (the rice will be creamy and slightly more cooked than al dente, but not mushy), add the cheese and adjust the seasonings.

Sauteed Mushrooms with Rosemary

1- 1 1/4 lb mushrooms

1 small onion, minced

A few tsp butter or oil

¼ white wine

A few blades of rosemary

Salt and pepper

Cut the mushrooms into ¼-inch dice. (Trim the stem, split the cap in half horizontally and place the mushroom flat side down on the cutting board. Cut ¼-inch slices in one direction, turn and slice in the other direction.)

Melt a little butter in a pan and sauté the onions until translucent. Remove and set aside. Place half the mushrooms in a wide pan with a little melted butter, more or less in a single layer and let them cook for a few minutes undisturbed before tossing them to cook the other side. The mushrooms will start to exude liquid. When the liquid is evaporated, add half the onions and half the rosemary, then the wine, cooking to evaporate. Set aside, clean out the pan and cook the second batch. Adjust the seasonings.

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Dark Days Weeks 9 and 10: A Trio of Winter Salads

With fresh-from-the-garden green salads and Mediterranean vegetables a distant memory of a warmer season, we crave something piquant, refreshing and raw to accompany our meals. I made three salads over the past two weeks, using organic produce stored in my fridge or newly acquired from a farmers’ market. Farmers’ markets have been great this winter. We discovered local maple syrup, and sampled new (to us) cheeses from nearby creameries. We’ve met so many organic farmers and we’re inspired, not to mention well fed.

The first salad combines shredded Brussels sprouts (mine were still on the stalk) with pecorino cheese and cider vinaigrette with maple syrup. The salad was so intense that a 1/3-cup serving seemed very generous. The second uses up a fraction of the way-too-many roots in my refrigerator by shredding carrots, kohlrabi and a couple of types of radishes and dousing them with rice wine vinaigrette tempered by home-canned mint syrup. This was adapted from a recent New York Times recipe.

The third is a classic from my mother: sliced mushrooms and gruyere-type cheese. I recall that she used a mustard vinaigrette and probably added some parsley. I used my own tarragon vinegar. During the summer, I cut back my tarragon plant periodically and plunk entire stalks in white wine vinegar. This produces not only amazing vinegar but also a terrific way of preserving tarragon for other uses (potato salad, cooked cucumbers, roast chicken, etc.)

Slivered Brussels Sprout Salad with Pecorino Cheese

10-12 medium Brussels sprouts

1 tbsp olive oil

1 tsp cider vinegar

½ tsp maple syrup

Salt and pepper

Pecorino cheese

Remove any bruised or brown outer leaves from the Brussels sprouts. Cut them lengthwise into tiny shreds, removing the core. Combine the oil, vinegar and maple syrup and pour over the Brussels sprouts, mixing gently. Season with salt and pepper to taste and grated some Pecorino cheese on top. Serve slightly chilled or at room temperature.

Carrot, Radish and Kohlrabi Salad adapted from Martha Rose Schulman, NYT

1 carrot

1 kohlrabi (violet)

Radishes (I used one long red one and several round red ones for color but you could use daikon)

Salt

1/3 c rice vinegar

1 c water

1 tbsp mint syrup (homemade)

1 tsp honey

Alternate: 2 tsp sugar

Optional: chopped mint or cilantro

Scrub the vegetables, peeling the carrot if necessary.  Grate on a box grater, preserving as much as possible of the colorful skin of the kohlrabi and radish. Lightly salt the vegetables and set aside to drain for about 20 minutes. Meanwhile, bring water, vinegar and honey/mint syrup or sugar to a boil. Set aside to cool.  Squeeze moisture out of vegetables and pour the cooled liquid over them in a bowl, Store in the refrigerator for at least an hour or overnight. Drain and serve. Add optional chopped mint or cilantro.

Mushrooms and Gruyere Salad with Tarragon Vinaigrette

12-15 medium cremini or white button mushrooms

2 slices of Gruyere or similar hard, nutty cheese (to make a 20-24 1/8 x 1/8 x 1 inch batons)

1 tbsp olive oil

1-2 tsp tarragon vinegar

A few leaves of tarragon that was pickled in the vinegar

Pepper

Brush the mushrooms to remove any dirt. Halve them crosswise, and then cut them lengthwise into batons about 1/8 inch thick. Slice the cheese into little batons about the same size or smaller. Mix the olive oil and vinegar, including tarragon leaves if you have them. Mix with the mushrooms and cheese and let sit for about 10 minutes. Add fresh black pepper to taste. Serve at room temperature.

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