This month for the Random Recipe Challenge we are celebrating a big anniversary: number 30. Not 30 years, but still, 30 months is a great accomplishment in the world of blogging. I wish I could say that I’ve been participating that long but I can say that I have enjoyed every challenge I have accepted. Rather than choosing a theme, for this anniversary month dashing Dom from +belleau kitchen has set 30 as the target. Count forward on the bookcase to your 30th cookbook. Either open to the 30th page (which I did first but there wasn’t a recipe at all) or open randomly (which I did second) and make the first recipe you see.
My 30th book was Richard Olney’s Simple French Food, a classic in food writing circles. I adore Richard Olney and I adore this book but I have to admit, when I opened it to Mushrooms Provençal, I was a bit disappointed. Sautéed mushrooms didn’t sound very exciting. But, after making them as a side dish, we all decided that they were fabulous and worthy of being the star of the meal. So instead of grilling a steak which they would accompany, I folded a few in a simple omelet and served extra on the side. The perfect evening meal. And I will never underestimate Mr. Olney again.
Ingredients
4-5 tablespoons olive oil
1 lb 10 oz or 750g Swiss brown or other mushrooms
Sea salt
3 large cloves garlic
1 handful parsley
1 handful crumbled half-dried bread (I chopped mine up with a large knife.)
Black pepper
1/2 lemon
Glass of wine – optional but highly recommended – for the cook
Method
Rinse your mushrooms briefly to get rid of any dirt that might be clinging to them and drain them well in a colander. Cut the tough stem ends off. Small mushrooms can be left whole but larger ones should be cut in halves or quarters.
Puree the garlic in a mortar with a pestle and chop your parsley finely.
Heat your oil in a large frying pan and add the mushrooms and a good sprinkling of sea salt. Sauté over a medium high heat, stirring or tossing every few minutes, until the mushrooms take on a golden color.
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| Choose a bigger pan. This was hard to stir and toss until the mushrooms had reduced in size. |
Add in the garlic and parsley. Stir well.
Give the whole pan a good couple of grinds of fresh black pepper and add in the breadcrumbs.
Taste for salt and add a little more if necessary.
Squeeze your lemon half over the mushrooms. Stir or toss again.
Enjoy!
Or add them into an omelet.
Beat a couple of eggs with a dash of milk. Have a sip of wine.
Add a knob of butter to a non-stick skillet. Once it has melted, pour in the egg/milk mixture and add some Mushrooms Provençal.
Cook until the eggs are almost set. Add a few slices of cheddar or other cheese, if desired. Have a sip of wine.
Fold over. Neatness doesn't count. Have another sip of your wine.
Slide the omelet onto a plate, sprinkle with some black pepper and add more mushrooms. Enjoy!
