Red Mountain Recipe Series - Textures of Mushroom
Ingredients
For the Sweet Potato:
- 1 large Sweet potato, peeled and cut into ¾” rounds
- 2 Tbsp Olive Oil
- Five Spice Powder, to taste
- Salt, to taste
- Pepper, to taste
For the Pomegranate Reduction:
- ½ C Pomegranate Molasses
- 3 Tbsp Brown Sugar
- 1 tsp lime juice
- Salt, to taste
Wild Mushrooms, as available
For the rye croutons:
- 1 slice dark rye bread, cut into ¼” cubes
- 1 tsp olive oil
Method
For the sweet potatoes: Toss the potatoes in the oil to coat them lightly, then season with salt, pepper and 5 spice powder. Place on a parchment lined baking tray and bake in a 375 degree oven until just soft; 20-25 min. Turn halfway through to avoid excessive browning. Set aside.
For the reduction:
Add the molasses, sugar and lime juice to a small pot. Heat gently on the stove, stirring constantly to dissolve sugar, then season with salt. Be careful not to over reduce, or the sauce will be too sticky to work with.
For rye croutons:
Toss the cubes of bread in olive oil and season with salt. Bake in a 325 degree oven for 4-6 min, rotate the baking sheet halfway through cooking. The croutons should not take on any color.
For mushroom chips:
Slice the base off of a King Trumpet mushroom, then slice crosswise into 1/4" planks. Season liberally with salt, then place on a parchment lined baking sheet and bake for 20 min at 275 degrees with the convection fan on. Alternatively, bake 30-40 min at oven’s lowest setting. The chips should be slightly dry, they will dehydrate more as they cool.
Finishing: Your final preparation may vary based on what mushrooms you have available. Use a variety of mushrooms (eg. oyster, trumpet, lion’s mane etc.) to keep the plate visually appealing, then toss 1/3 of them in olive oil and bake at 375 degrees for 20-25 min until nicely roasted. For others, heat a large sauté pan with 2 Tbsp of olive oil over med-high heat, then add the mushrooms (broken into small bitesize pieces) and season with salt as soon as they hit the pan. To avoid steaming, add the mushrooms in small batches until they take on a deep golden color. Once golden and cooked through, set aside on paper towels and assemble the plate. Add a drizzle of the reduction to the center of the plate. Place sweet potato round on top of reduction. Top with roasted and sautéed mushrooms, then add the croutons and the mushroom chips. Garnish with fresh garden greens or herbs and serve warm.
