Sunday, February 1, 2009

Maitake Mushrooms


I just scored a pound of maitake mushrooms for cheap. I love their nutty flavor and crunchy texture, they sort of remind me of potato chips. The only trouble with having a whole pound of maitakes is deciding what to make with them.

Quinoa & Maitake Mushroom Pilaf
Printable Recipe

3 tablespoons unsalted butter
½ pound maitake mushrooms, torn into bite-size pieces
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ cups quinoa
2 ½ cups chicken broth
3 tablespoons soy sauce
Freshly ground black pepper
½ cup sliced green onions

Heat a medium, heavy saucepan over medium heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the butter and maitakes and sauté for 6 to 7 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and sauté for another 30 seconds, or until fragrant. Add the quinoa and stir until coated with the butter. Add the broth and soy sauce, season to taste with pepper, and bring to a boil. Cover, reduce the heat to low, and cook for 20 to 22 minutes, or until the quinoa is tender and all of the liquid has been absorbed. Stir in the green onions and fluff with a fork. Transfer to a bowl and serve immediately.

Serves 4 to 6 as a side dish. Another name for the maitake is hen of the woods. If you cannot find maitakes, try this recipe with any cultivated or wild mushrooms that are available—a combination of oyster and shiitake mushrooms would be nice. And feel free to substitute vegetable broth or water if you prefer a vegetarian dish.

8 comments:

Hillary said...

Quinoa pilaf is a great healthy side dish. I had some while I was in Argentina and have been meaning to come up with a recipe. Yours looks great!

Hillary
Chew on That

Heidi Leon Monges said...

Quinoa with maitake mushrooms? mm sounds good, I will give it a try!

avaserfi said...

That looks great. I have never seen quinoa before. Is it something that can be purchased at most Asian grocery stores?

Lucy Vaserfirer said...

Avaserfi,
Quinoa is available in health food stores and most gourmet markets. It’s native to South America. Quinoa has a mild nutty flavor and a pleasing texture, and it’s highly nutritious—it’s a complete protein and also a good source of fiber. Quinoa is quick and easy to prepare and can be cooked either by the absorption method (like rice) or by the pasta method.

test it comm said...

That looks like a nice way to enjoy some maitake mushrooms!

avaserfi said...

I just made this and it was great. I used some portobello mushrooms since nothing else looked good at the store. I added some extras in and made it a main course. This was my first experience with quinoa and I am hungry for more!

Reem Labib said...

I have made this dish about five times in the past few weeks and have shared it with multiple people. It's easy and SO tasty! Thank you :)

Alya said...

I just made this and it is heavenly! I used oyster, maitake, enoki and baby bellas..... w/ veggie broth! Delish!

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