Mushroom Saute

By Ellan

Ingredients

• 1 tab. olive oil
• 1 tab. unsalted butter
• 1 lb. mixed fresh mushrooms (such as 4 oz. shiitakes and 6 oz. each cremini and white mushrooms), washed, trimmed, and sliced 1/4 in. thick to yield 5 1/2 to 6 cups
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1/2 tsp. kosher salt
• 2 tabs. chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 2 to 3 heavy cream, or broth, or lemon juice (opt.)
• Additional chopped herbs (opt.)

Preparation

Step 1

Heat the oil and butter in a 12-inch saute pan or skillet over med. heat until the butter foams. Add the mushrooms and garlic. Like sponges, the mushrooms will immediately absorb all the fat in the pan. Sprinkle with the salt sand stir with a wooden spoon until the mushrooms start to release their moisture and being to shrink, 2 to 3 minutes.
Increase heat to med. high so that you hear a steady sizzle; stir occasional sweep with the spoon (about once a minute) to allow the mushrooms to brow nicely, cooking them another 2 to 4 minutes. Resist the inclination to stir too often.
Turn off heat and toss mushrooms with the parsley and pepper to taste, adding more salt if needed. If serving as a side dish, stir in a few tablespoons cream, broth or lemon juice to moisten the mushroom and to deglaze the pan, scraping the browned bits off the bottom of the pan into the mixture. Add herbs if you like.