Wild things: magical mushroom dishes - food

Sometimes Mother Nature makes healthy eating easy. Consider wild mushrooms. Not only do they make a great dish--as the recipes below attest--they're known to strengthen the immune system and help ward off infections. What's more, they're full of vitamins, minerals and vegetable protein. You might say they put the fun in fungi.

Two-Mushroom Quiche

SERVES 4-6

Select two different varieties of wild
mushrooms for this simple quiche.
Making this with a purchased deep-dish
frozen pie shell gets dinner on
the table fast, without fuss. Like all
quiches, it's as good at room temperature
as it is warm.

6 small leeks, about 1 lb., roots
  and ends trimmed
1 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1 9-inch deep-dish pie shell,
  partly thawed
1/4 lb. mixed wild mushrooms
  such as oyster and shiitake
3 large eggs
1 cup whole milk
1/4 tsp. fine sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1/2 cup grated cheddar cheese,
  lightly packed

1. Preheat oven to 400F.

2. Rinse leeks well and drain. Cut
into 1/2-inch-thick slices. Using
fingers, push slices into rings.
Set aside.

3. Heat large skillet over medium
heat. When sufficiently warm,
add olive oil.

4. Reduce heat to medium-low, add
leeks and cook for about 5 minutes,
or until leeks begin to soften
and glisten. Remove from heat,
and set aside.

5. Using fork, prick pie crust all
over, and prebake about 20 minutes,
or until brown.

6. Meanwhile, thinly slice mushroom
caps and chop stems.
Reheat leeks, and add mushrooms,
cooking over medium-low
for about 15 minutes, or
until soft and fragrant.

7. Remove crust from oven, and
pour leek-mushroom mixture
into crust. Beat together eggs,
milk, salt and pepper, and pour
over vegetables.

8. Sprinkle cheese over top, and
bake until set and flecked with
brown spots, about 30 minutes.

Bluefoot or Mixed Wild
Mushroom Risotto
with Arugula

SERVES 4

Bluefoots are cultivated versions of
wild blewit mushrooms, and they
have a wonderful texture and
aroma. While bluefoots tend to be
available only from specialty stores,
mixed exotic mushrooms are often
sold in packages in the produce
section of gourmet groceries. This
mix of cremini, shiitake and oyster
mushrooms is a common one.
Whether you use bluefoots or a
blend of mushrooms, this risotto is
a palate-pleasing dinner entree. To
use leftovers, form them into patties,
and brown them in olive oil to
create tasty rice croquettes.

1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
8 oz. coarsely chopped bluefoot
  mushrooms or mixed cremini,
  shiitake and oyster mushrooms,
  chopped
1/4 tsp. coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
  to taste
5 cups water or vegetable stock
1/2 onion or two big shallots,
  finely chopped
1 1/2 cups Arborio rice
1/2 cup white wine
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup grated Parmegiano-Reggiano
  cheese
1 cup arugula or flat-leaf parsley,
  washed, dried and minced

1. Heat large skillet over medium
heat and, when hot, add 1/8 cup
olive oil, and heat until fragrant
but not smoking. Add chopped
mushrooms, and saute gently
until softened, stirring occasionally,
10 to 12 minutes. Add salt
and pepper, and scrape mixture
into bowl.

2. In saucepan, bring water or
stock to a boil, and keep it simmering.
Wipe skillet with paper
towel, and heat again. Add
remaining 1/8 cup oil, and heat
over medium heat. When fragrant,
add chopped onion or
shallots, and reduce heat to
medium-low. Cook for 3 to 4
minutes, until translucent but
not brown. Add rice, and stir to
coat with oil.

3. Add wine and cook for 2 to 3
minutes, stirring continuously
and increasing heat to medium,
if needed. In 1/2-cup increments,
add boiling water or stock, stirring
after each addition, not
adding more liquid until all is
absorbed. Stir often, and avoid
adding too much liquid.

4. After 15 to 20 minutes, liquid
should be absorbed, and rice
should be creamy with a slightly
chewy center.

5. Remove from heat, and stir in
mushrooms, cream, cheese and
chopped arugula or parsley. Stir
until cheese is melted and combined,
and serve immediately.

Roasted Morels with
Shallots

SERVES 4-6

Most cookbooks suggest cooking
morels--relatives of the truffle--in
cream to bring out their heavenly
flavor, but oven-roasting does even
more for them. Delicious as a topping
for rice or mashed potatoes,
you can also make a divine soup by
pureeing it in a blender with hot
water and half-and-half cream.

2 Tbs. extra virgin olive oil
1/2 lb. morels
3 to 4 shallots, or 2 medium onions,
  peeled and cut into wedges
Freshly ground black pepper and
  coarse sea salt to taste

1. Preheat oven to 400F. Lightly
grease roasting pan with 1 teaspoon
olive oil.

2. Gently wipe morels with damp
cloth to remove grit, and slice
off most of stem. Halve mushrooms
lengthwise, and arrange,
cut sides down, in roasting pan.

3. Arrange shallots around or over
mushrooms. Season with salt
and pepper, and drizzle with
remaining olive oil. Roast for 10
to 15 minutes, or until mushrooms
are fragrant and softened.
Serve immediately.

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