Italian Recipe: Two-Mushroom Risotto

If you're looking for a good appetizer to serve, look no further than the classic risotto. It's the most common way of cooking rice in Italy, and with good reason! This Italian fare is a savory rice dish served in a creamy broth, and can include a wide range of ingredients and flavors.

Mushrooms and risotto are a perfect pair. There are so many mushrooms to choose from, it can be a little hard to figure out where to start. After a little experimenting, we decided to use an even combination of two mushrooms for a slightly more complex flavor without drowning out the taste of any individual mushroom. In this case, we used 1 cup oyster, and 1 cup portobello. If you want to make this dish vegetarian friendly, substitute out chicken stock for vegetable stock. Keep reading below for this delicious risotto recipe...

Two-Mushroom Risotto

(makes 4-6 servings)

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons butter
• 1 cup oyster mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and cut into 1/2" pieces
• 1 cup portobello mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and cut into 1/2" pieces
• 2/3 cup dry white wine
• 6 cups chicken stock
• 1/3 cup peeled and minced shallots
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 teaspoon fresh chopped thyme
• 2 cups arborio rice
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• salt and pepper to taste
• fresh parsley or chives for garnish

Directions

1. Bring the chicken stock to a simmer in a saucepan.
2. Meanwhile, melt the butter in a separate, heavy saucepan over medium-high heat.
3. Add the mushrooms and shallots and saute about 5 minutes.
4. Add garlic and stir until fragrant, about 30 seconds.
5. Add the rice and stir to combine.
6. Stir in the thyme.
7. Add the wine and bring to a boil to reduce the liquid by about half (3-4 minutes).
8. Add the stock 1/2 cup at a time, stirring to keep the rice sticking to the edges of the pan. (almost constantly).
9. Add the next 1/2 cup only after the stock is almost completely absorbed by the rice. This should take about 25 minutes in total.
10. You will end up with a rice that has been just cooked and is slightly chewy.
11. Stir in Parmesan cheese and season to taste with salt and pepper. Use parsley or chives for garnish.
12. Enjoy!

Soup Recipe: Cream of Mushroom

Many recipes (especially casseroles) call for condensed cream of mushroom soup. While you can certainly reach for a can, why not make your own? The recipe is actually pretty simple, and best of all you end up with a great, hearty soup good enough to eat on its own.

For this recipe, we wanted something full of mushroom flavor while maintaining just the right consistency. We also didn't want it to be too rich. Like most hearty soup recipes, there's a temptation to fully load it with cream, but of course we didn't want something that was so rich. It was all about finding the right balance between the cream and the stock. Using heavy cream was just far too rich for us, so we used whole milk. To keep this recipe nice and vegetarian, we used a vegetable broth but chicken broth can absolutely be used. From there, we also had to decide what mushrooms would be best. After trying a few recipes, crimimi mushrooms turned out to fit the bill perfectly. Keep reading below for this great recipe...

Cream of Mushroom Soup

(makes about 2 servings)

Ingredients

• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 1 small shallot, minced
• 1/4 cup minced Crimimi mushroom
• 2 1/2 tablespoons flour
• 1/2 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup whole milk
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh rosemary
• a pinch of kosher salt
• 2 pinches fresh ground pepper

Directions

1. In a skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Once melted, add the minced shallot and stir to saute until just soft (about 3-5 minutes).
2. Add the minced mushrooms, thyme, rosemary, salt, and pepper then stir and cook for 2-3 minutes. Sprinkle the pan with the flour and continue to stir, letting the flour cook for a minute or two. Whisk in the whole milk and vegetable broth.
3. Bring the mixture to a simmer and cook until it has thickened (about 5 to 8 minutes), whisking continually. Serve warm with a garnish of rosemary.
4. Enjoy!

Appetizer Recipe: Stuffed Baby Portobello Mushrooms

If you're looking for an appetizer absolutely loaded with flavor, look no further than baby portobello (sometimes called portabella because of their smaller size) mushrooms! These savory treats are filled with a mixture of cheeses and vegetables and topped with bread crumbs to provide the perfect crusty texture.

The trick to making these mushrooms perfect is to not scrape out too much of the mushroom when scraping out the gills. Also be careful to not pierce the mushroom through, or else the cheese mixture will ooze through and make a mess. Also, don't run the mushrooms under water when cleaning them or else the mushrooms will be water-logged. Instead, wipe off the outsides of the mushrooms with a damp cloth to remove any dirt or grit. Keep reading below for this fantastic appetizer recipe...

Stuffed Baby Portobello Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 14oz baby portobello mushrooms
• 1 cup feta cheese
• 1/2 cup softened cream cheese
• 1/4 cup diced roasted red peppers
• 1/4 cup chopped yellow onions
• 1/4 cup chopped fresh tomato
• 1/8 cup fresh chopped basil
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1/4 cup panko bread crumbs
• 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt plus 1/2 teaspoon for topping
• 1 teaspoon freshly cracked pepper and 1/2 teaspoon for topping
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 350F
2. Wipe the outside of the mushrooms with a damp cloth to remove any dirt or grit. Pull out the stem of the mushrooms with a melon baller and remove the gills of the mushroom, being careful to not pierce the flesh. Place the mushrooms on a non-stick cooking pan, open side up.
3. Combine the feta cheese, cream cheese, red peppers, yellow onions, fresh tomato, 1 teaspoon salt, 1 teaspoon black pepper, basil, and garlic into a bowl until evenly distributed. Spoon the mixture evenly between the mushrooms in the baking pan.
4. Combine 1/2 teaspoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, 2 tablespoons olive oil, Parmesan cheese, and panko. Sprinkle the mixture on each of the mushrooms.
5. Bake for 10-12 minutes, or until the cheese is nice and bubbly and the crumb mixture has become golden brown.
6. Enjoy!

Vegetarian Dish: Mushroom Pot Pies

There’s something comforting about a warm, flaky pot pie fresh out of the oven – and this meatless version definitely fits the bill.

Mushrooms are the star of the show here, and though the recipe calls for cremini or button mushrooms, you can use whatever variety you like when packing puff pastry with veggie goodness. And if you want to swap out and swap in different ingredients, go for it – we’ve seen mushroom pot pie recipes that also feature potatoes, leeks, and even lentils.

We have a feeling that meat-lovers and vegetarians alike will love this dish!

Mushroom Pot Pies

(makes 4-5 individual pies)

Ingredients:

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 1/2 pounds cremini or button mushrooms, halved (or quartered, in large)
• 4 carrots, chopped
• 3 celery stalks, chopped
• 1 medium onion, chopped
• 1/2 tablespoon fresh thyme
• 1/3 cup all-purpose flour, plus extra for floured surface
• 1 cup vegetable broth
• 1/2 cup peas
• 1 sheet puff pastry, thawed
• 1 egg
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 1/4 teaspoon pepper

Directions:

1. Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
2. Place the pastry on a floured surface and place your individual dishes on the pastry, to use as a stencil. You want to cut a circle around the dish that is 1/2 inch wider than the dish. Cut vents in the tops of the circles and let them refrigerate on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper. (You could also make a large pot pie in an 8x8 baking dish, by simply placing the larger piece over the dish and cutting some vents.)
3. Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add the mushrooms, carrots, celery, onions, thyme, salt and pepper. Cook and stir occasionally until the vegetables start to get tender (about 12 to 15 minutes).
4. Add the flour to the skillet and cook, while constantly stirring, for about 30 seconds. Then, add the broth and peas and bring everything to a boil.
5. Divide the mixture between the dishes, then lay a piece of puff pastry on top of the dish and press the edges so the pastry is sealed. Beat the egg and brush it on top of the crusts.
6. Place the dishes on a rimmed baking sheet and bake for 25 minutes, or until the crust is golden-brown.
7. Enjoy!

Hearty Side Dish: Mushroom, Onion and Sage Stuffing

The same can’t be said for everyone, but over here, stuffing (at any meal) is a big deal. Stuffing is another one of those standard dishes that is very adaptable, and it really doesn’t take much to transform it into the front-runner of a dinner. This recipe will definitely pique people’s interest, so if you’re looking for something that pairs really well with other foods, but can also stand alone, look no further!

Mushroom, Onion and Sage Stuffing

Ingredients

(Serves 6-8)

• 10-12 cups dried bread crumbs (or 16-18-ounce loaf rustic white bread)
• 6 tablespoons unsalted butter; additional 2 tablespoons, melted
• 4 cups mushrooms, quartered
• 1 pound yellow onions, diced

• 4 large stalks celery, diced

• 3 large cloves garlic, minced

• 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh sage leaves

• Leaves from 2 stalks thyme 

• 2 large eggs, beaten

• 2 ½-cups chicken or vegetable stock

• 1 teaspoon poultry seasoning
• 1 teaspoon salt

• Freshly ground black pepper

Directions 

1. Preheat oven to 375°F and butter a 9x13 baking dish.

2. Rinse, pat dry and quarter the mushrooms. Heat the butter in a large pan and add mushrooms, onions, celery and garlic and cook until they are soft, stirring frequently. 

3. Add sage and thyme to the vegetables and cook for a 3 minutes, then take off heat.

4. Beat the eggs with the chicken stock and season with salt and pepper and poultry seasoning.

5. In a large bowl, combine the breadcrumbs and egg mixture. Then add in the cooked vegetables and herbs.

6. Pour into baking dish and drizzle with melted butter.

7. Cover and bake for 30 minutes. Uncover and bake for another 15-20 minutes or until top is browned. Some burned pieces are fine.

8. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving.

Seasonal Recipe: Twice-Baked and Stuffed Butternut Squash

Pumpkins get a lot of attention annually, but they’re not the only members of the gourd family—we’d like to remind everyone about their cousins, the butternut squash. Butternut squash is easy to cook with and blends really well with other flavors, as witnessed here with mushrooms. Try it and see how easily this could become a staple in your dinner rotation!

Quinoa and Mushroom-Stuffed Butternut Squash

(Serves 6-8)

Ingredients

• 4 lbs. butternut squash; 2 regular-sized squashes
• 2 cups quinoa
• 1 cup chanterelle mushrooms, sliced
• 1/2 cup white onion, chopped
• ½ cup parmesan
• 3 tablespoons olive oil, separated
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• water
• salt and pepper, to taste

 Directions

1. Preheat oven to 450º F
2. Cut squashes in half, take the seeds out and place, cut side up, in two 11x7 baking dishes. Season with salt, pepper and olive oil (one tablespoon per squash), and add 1/4 inch of water to baking dishes.
3. Cover baking dishes with foil and bake for around 40 minutes, or until tender when pierced with a fork.
4. Reduce oven temperature to 375º F
5. In a small pot, bring 4 cups water to a boil and then add quinoa. Reduce to a simmer and let cook for 15-20 minutes, or until quinoa has absorbed all water. Remove from heat.
6. In a pan, heat remaining olive oil and sauté mushrooms and onions on medium heat. Add in the garlic after a few minutes. Cook until fragrant and onions are translucent.
7. After squash has cooled, scoop out the insides, leaving about a 1/4 inch of flesh.
8. In a large bowl, combine quinoa, butternut squash, mushrooms, onions and garlic, and parmesan cheese. Mix well and season with salt and pepper.
9. Spoon mixture back into the hollow butternut squashes and return them to the over to back for 20-25 minutes, or until top is golden brown.