Recipes
Tara Thomas' Barbecue Fig Leaf-Wrapped Maitake Mushroom And Harvest Salad With Cilantro Oil
Check Out Tara's Recipe Video
Makes 4 Servings
ingredients
for the Maitake mushrooms
- 1 pound maitake mushrooms
- ¼ cup white wine vinegar
- 2 tablespoons white miso paste
- ¾ cup high heat oil, such as grapeseed or avocado oil
- 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
- 3 cloves garlic, thinly sliced
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- Kitchen twine
- 10 to 12 fig leaves, stems trimmed
- 1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil
- Flaky sea salt
for the cilantro oil
- 1 bunch of cilantro
- 1 cup extra virgin olive oil
for the Harvest salad
- 3 heirloom tomatoes
- 2 cucumbers
- 2 stone fruits (nectarine, peach, pear)
- Fresh herbs (mint, pulsane, nasturtium)
- Edible flowers
method
- If your maitake mushroom is in a large floret, divide at the base with your hands to make fist-sized pieces. If the base is woody, use a paring knife to remove it. (You can compost the base, or add to a broth!) Place the mushroom pieces in a casserole dish or on a baking sheet.
- To make the marinade, add the vinegar and miso paste to a medium-sized bowl. Slowly add ½ cup of the high heat oil, whisking as you pour. Gently stir in the coriander seeds, garlic slices, and lemon juice. Brush the marinade thoroughly onto each mushroom piece. Rearrange the garlic slices to rest in the florets. Set aside for 15 minutes or cover and refrigerate overnight.
- Next, cut 18-inch strips of kitchen twine. (Each mushroom wrap requires three pieces of twine.) Take three strings, lay parallel horizontally and 1½ inches apart. Place one fig leaf on top of the strings, with the top of the leaf facing away from you, then add a second leaf, top pointing toward you. Place the mushroom on top of the leaves, rearrange the garlic if needed, and brush with the olive oil. Sprinkle the salt on top.
- Fold the middle of the leaves in and tie down with the middle string. Trim the twine. Next, fold the top and bottom in, and tie with the two remaining strings. Repeat with the remaining mushrooms.
- Place the mushroom packets on a greased, hot griddle or a grill over medium heat. Baste with the remaining ¼-cup high heat oil to keep the leaves from burning. After 15 to 30 minutes, the mushroom should be cooked.
- FOR THE HARVEST SALAD: Roughly chop the cilantro then blend in a food processor for 30 seconds. While the food processor is running, pour in the olive oil and let blend for a bit. Turn off the machine and pour the oil and the pulp into a separate bowl. Pour the mixture through a strainer into a second bowl, using a spoon to help separate the pulp and the oil. Save the cilantro pulp to infuse in another recipe, perhaps a compound butter or pesto, and set aside the cilantro oil.
- Next, slice the tomatoes, cucumbers, and fruit in a way that compliments the bowl or serving platter you plan to use. Swirl a bit of the cilantro oil on the bottom of the bowl or platter, add the sliced produce on top, drizzle with more cilantro oil on top, then adorn with the herbs, greens, and flowers. Feel free to serve with extra vinegar, salt, and pepper on the table for guests to make it their own.
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