Skewered Crisp Shiitakes With Garlic Food

CRISPY SMOKED SHIITAKES

Steps:

• Stem the shiitake mushrooms (you can save the stems for stock or another use), then thinly slice the caps into thin strips on a mandolin or by hand. The slices should be no more than 1/8-inch thick.
• Pour the oil to a depth of 1/2 inch in cast-iron skillet (or other frying pan) and heat over medium-high to a temperature of 350 degrees. (To test the temperature, add a mushroom slice to the oil. When the temperature is right, bubbles will dance around the mushroom slice.)
• Working in batches to avoid overcrowding, fry the shiitake slices until golden and crisp, stirring with a slotted spoon, about 3 minutes. Transfer the fried shiitakes to paper towel-lined plate to drain, repeating until all the mushrooms are cooked. Let the fried shiitakes cool to room temperature.
• Smoke the fried shiitake slices in a grill or outdoor smoker, or using stovetop or handheld smoker. To smoke the shiitakes on a grill, set it up for indirect grilling and heat to medium (350 degrees). Add wood chips or chunks to the coals and hot smoke the bacon long enough to apply a discernible smoke flavor, 5 to 8 minutes.
• If using an outdoor smoker, set it up following the manufacturer's instructions and heat to 250 degrees. Add wood as specified by the manufacturer. Arrange the shiitake slices on a wire rack or in a grill basket, transfer to the smoker and smoke long enough to apply a discernible smoke flavor, 20 to 30 minutes.
• To smoke the shiitakes using a stovetop or handheld smoker, follow the manufacturer's instructions.
• Let the smoked shiitakes cool to room temperature, season with sea salt then store in an airtight container until serving. They taste best the same day they're smoked.

SHIITAKE SKEWERS

Steps:

• Remove the stems from the shiitake and thread them on bamboo skewers. Combine the sesame oil, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, sugar and chili paste and whisk to combine. Begin cooking by brushing the shiitake with the marinade and placing them on the grill. Grill to taste, approx 5-6 minutes.
• Begin cooking pasta, by adding to boiling water and simmering for approximately 8 minutes.
• Heat wok and fry the ginger in a little sesame oil for a minute. When fragrant, add the carrots and squash followed in 2-3 minutes by the pea shoots or snap peas. Turn the peas into the hot carrot squash mixture and remove from heat. Drain the pasta well and combine with the vegetable sauté, dressing with any extra marinade and soy sauce, if desired. Enjoy!

GARLIC SAUTEED SHIITAKE MUSHROOMS

Steps:

• Combine butter and garlic in saute pan. Heat until butter is melted and garlic starts to sizzle, about 30 seconds. Do not let garlic brown.
• Add mushrooms and saute 3 to 4 minutes, turning until lightly browned. Season to taste with salt and pepper, sprinkle with parsley and serve.

ROSEMARY SKEWERS OF SHIITAKE MUSHROOM, BROCCOLI AND GARLIC CLOVES

Steps:

• Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
• Blanch the broccoli in boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Drain and cool.
• In a small skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and cook the garlic cloves until they are golden and soft. Set aside until cool enough to handle.
• To make the skewers: Remove the leaves from the bottom 2/3 of the rosemary sprigs and reserve them for future use. Skewer a mushroom, broccoli floret and a roasted garlic clove onto each rosemary sprig. Put the completed skewers on a baking sheet, brush them with the marinade, and season with salt and pepper.
• Grill the rosemary skewers over medium-high heat for about 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Serve with a small wedge of Cambozola cheese.

SKEWERED CRISP SHIITAKES WITH GARLIC

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 450 degrees. Put shiitakes in roasting pan in one layer and add olive oil. Roast for about 20 minutes, until shiitakes have begun to shrink. Stir in garlic, salt and pepper, and return to oven, tossing and turning occasionally, until edges of shiitakes are crisp, another 20 minutes or so.
• Cool slightly, then skewer mushrooms on toothpicks. Serve warm.

SWEET GRILLED SHRIMP SKEWERS

Steps:

• Combine brown sugar, lemon juice, molasses, basil, vegetable oil, mustard, honey, clove, ranch dressing, chili powder, and garlic in a large bowl. Toss in shrimp to coat, cover, and refrigerate for 2 hours. Meanwhile, soak wooden skewers in hot water to prevent burning on the grill.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for high heat and lightly oil grate.
• Thread shrimp tightly on to skewers. Cook on the top rack of the grill for approximately 4 minutes, or until the shrimp turns pink on one side. Flip shrimp and cook for an additional 2 to 4 minutes, or until there are no signs of grey. Use a fork to remove shrimp from the skewers.

GARLIC POTATO PURéE WITH SHIITAKE RAGOûT AND POTATO CRISPS

Steps:

• Brush a baking sheet well with some of the oil. In a food processor fitted with the 2-millimeter slicing disk or with a hand-held slicing device slice thin the potato on the diagonal (cut one end of the potato on the diagonal to facilitate this) and arrange the slices immediately in one layer on the sheet. Brush the slices with the remaining oil, sprinkle them with salt to taste, and bake them in the middle of a preheated 400°F. oven for 12 to 15 minutes, or until they are golden brown. Transfer the crisps while they are still warm with a metal spatula to a rack and let them cool. The crisps may be made several days in advance and kept in a plastic bag at room temperature.
• Peel the potatoes, quarter them lengthwise, and cut them into 1-inch pieces. Reserving 3 of the garlic cloves for the ragout, in a steamer set over boiling water steam the remaining garlic cloves with the potatoes, covered, for 12 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are very tender. Force the steamed garlic and the potatoes through a ricer or food mill fitted with the medium disk into a large bowl, stir in the butter, the milk, and salt and pepper to taste, and keep the purée warm, covered. The purée may be made 1 day in advance, kept covered and chilled, and reheated.
• In a large heavy skillet heat the oil over moderately high heat until it is hot but not smoking and in it saute the mushrooms with the reserved garlic cloves, minced, and salt and pepper to taste for 5 minutes, or until the mushrooms are softened and any liquid they give off is evaporated. Add the Sherry and boil the mixture until almost all the liquid is evaporated. Add the broth and the soy sauce and bring the mixture to a boil. Stir the cornstarch mixture, stir it into the sauce, and simmer the ragout, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes. Stir in the parsley. The ragout may be made 1 day in advance, kept covered and chilled, and reheated.
• Divide the purée among 8 heated small plates, mounding it, arrange 3 crisps decoratively in each mound, and spoon the ragout over and around the purée.

GRILLED SEA SCALLOP AND SHIITAKE SKEWERS

Steps:

• Place mushrooms in a bowl. Add soy sauce, olive oil, and lemon juice. Stir to coat.
• Place scallops, olive oil, lemon juice, garlic, and Italian seasoning in a separate bowl. Stir to coat.
• Soak wooden skewers in water while mushrooms and scallops marinate for 30 minutes.
• Preheat an outdoor grill for medium-high heat and lightly oil the grate. Thread mushrooms and scallops onto separate skewers. Grill until mushrooms soften scallops are opaque, about 3 minutes per side. Cook mushrooms for 1 to 2 minutes more if needed. Serve immediately.

ROSEMARY SKEWERS OF SHIITAKE MUSHROOM, BROCCOLI AND GARLIC CLOVE

Steps:

• Combine the marinade ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
• Blanch the broccoli in boiling salted water for 2 minutes. Drain and cool.
• In a small skillet over medium heat, add the olive oil and cook the garlic cloves until they are golden and soft. Set aside
• until cool enough to handle.
• To make the skewers: Remove the leaves from the bottom 2/3 of the rosemary sprigs and reserve them for future use. Skewer a
• mushroom, broccoli floret and a roasted garlic clove onto each rosemary sprig. Put the completed skewers on a baking sheet,
• brush them with the marinade, and season with salt and pepper.
• Grill the rosemary skewers over medium-high heat for about 1 1/2 minutes on each side. Serve with a small wedge of Cambozola
• cheese.