Mushroom Adobo Food

MUSHROOM ADOBO

Steps:

• 1. Lightly wash mushrooms with cool water and pat dry with paper towels.
• 2. Heat wok/skillet over medium high heat. Add oil, rotate to coat sides of skillet. Heat oil.
• 3. Add garlic and mushrooms; stir-fry until mushrooms are slightly browned, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper.
• 4. Add soy sauce, vinegar and bay leaf. Without stirring, bring the mixture to a boil, reduce heat, cover and let simmer until mushrooms are tender, about 10 minutes. Add sugar and stir to combine.
• 5. Transfer to serving dish. This could be served atop steamed rice.
• 6. Note: No additional liquid is needed since the mushrooms will release water as they are cooked.

MUSHROOM ADOBO

Steps:

• Cook brown sugar, undisturbed, in a small saucepan over medium heat until melted and a shade darker, about 2 minutes (don't walk away, it can burn quickly). Pour in vinegar, tamari, and ½ cup water, stirring and scraping up solidified sugar on bottom of pan with a wood spoon, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to medium-low, add garlic, bay leaves, peppercorns, and salt, and simmer 15 minutes to infuse.
• Strain sauce through a fine-mesh sieve into a medium bowl; discard solids. Return sauce to pan and bring to a boil over medium heat.
• Meanwhile, stir together cornstarch and 2 Tbsp. cold water in a small bowl until smooth and lump-free.
• Whisk cornstarch slurry into sauce, reduce heat to medium-low, and simmer, whisking often, until sauce thickens slightly, about 5 minutes. Keep warm.
• Mix mushroom bouillon powder, pepper, and 1 tsp. Diamond Crystal or ½ tsp. Morton kosher salt in a small bowl to combine. Heat 2 Tbsp. oil in a large skillet over medium. Working in 2 batches and adding another 1 Tbsp. oil between batches if needed, cook mushrooms, stirring occasionally, until golden brown, about 4 minutes; transfer mushrooms to a plate as you go. Return all cooked mushrooms to skillet, sprinkle with mushroom bouillon powder mixture, and cook, tossing to incorporate, 30 seconds.
• Add adobo sauce to pan, scraping up any browned bits stuck to bottom of pan. Bring to a simmer (still over medium heat) and cook 2 minutes to bring flavors together. Taste and season with more salt if needed.
• Divide rice among bowls and top with mushroom adobo. Top each with a handful of watercress (if using). Do ahead: Mushroom adobo can be made 3 days ahead. Let cool; cover and chill.

SHIITAKE MUSHROOM ADOBO

Steps:

• Bring 1 quart of water to a boil. Place the dried shiitake In a medium heatproof bowl and pour the boiling water over to rehydrate the mushrooms. Cover with a plate to retain heat and steep the mushrooms for about 15 minutes. Drain the mushrooms, squeezing out and reserving any excess liquid in a separate bowl. Set the mushrooms aside until cool enough to handle, about 5 minutes. Remove each mushroom stem from its cap and discard the stems.
• Heat the oil in a large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion, lower the heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly, until softened, about 6 minutes. Add the mushrooms and reserved liquid, soy sauce, sugar or agave nectar, bay leaves and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook over medium heat until the liquid has reduced by half, about 25 minutes. Stir in the vinegar and cook until well combined and the flavor has melded, about 5 minutes more. Serve with jasmine rice.