EST. 2011 BY LIZ RUEVEN
These Trumpet Mushrooms Beg for Linguini
Photo: Liz Rueven

These Trumpet Mushrooms Beg for Linguini

I love to experiment with all varieties of mushrooms, especially in the winter when green markets can be short on enticing ingredients to spark new creations in my kosher kitchen. Since Seacoast Mushrooms became a weekly vendor at the Westport Farmers’ Market, I’ve joined the throngs of ‘shroom enthusiasts checking out their piles of wacky looking eye candy.

This vegetarian recipe for Linguini with Trumpet mushrooms is a result of that ogling.

CT mushrooms with linguini
Photo: Liz Rueven

Photographers, home cooks and chefs all gravitate to these CT. grown fungi. Their complex shapes, mossy aromas and subtle colors are all reason to stop and explore, even if just to examine them more closely and read the helpful cooking suggestions.

Trumpet mushrooms Westport Farmers Market
Trumpet mushrooms; Photo: Liz Rueven

Invaluable signage suggested that King Oyster aka Trumpet Royal mushrooms have a meaty flavor and benefit from roasting, grilling or a good soak in wine or teriyaki. It makes sense that they would make a tasty addition to Asian stir-fries. What really caught my attention, though, was the grower’s suggestion to slice the stems into “coins” and treat them like scallops.

Now, I had my share of shellfish and seafood back in the day, especially while enjoying long weekends on the coast of Maine after visiting the kids at summer camp. Despite the distance I’ve put between me and shellfish, I recall garlicky linguini and scallops being besties.

I simply had to explore this idea.

Interestingly, Trumpet mushrooms have very little flavor on their own (I didn’t perceive them as “meaty”, as the tag suggests), so for this umami seeker, that wasn’t a draw. Neither was the high price tag (worth it but still, it’s steep). What titillated me was the texture and the vision of a chewy (in a good way), garlicky, all natural, kosher stand-in tossed with al dente linguini.

kosher Trumpet Mushroom Linguini
Photo: Liz Rueven

I leaned into to exploring lemon, sage and garlic to liven up this vegetarian winter pasta. The contrast of earthy sage with bright lemon zest makes sense, as opposite attract. Frizzling the sage in a cast iron pan yields great crackly leaves and an opportunity to crumble them and toss into the pasta for more even flavoring.

Try it!

Up next in my mushroom adventures, I’m drawn to Seacoast Mushroom’s suggestion that Lion’s Mane makes a great vegetarian (I read: kosher) “crab” cake. My Nanny made the best salmon croquettes so I’ll be landing somewhere in-between as I work on that one.

kosher mushrooms CT
Lion’s Mane Mushrooms; Photo: Liz Rueven

If you love mushrooms as much as we do, check out these posts that highlight one of our favorite winter ingredients:

Click here for more on mushroom varieties and another vendor we shop at Union Square Market in NYC.

Find Hannah Kaminsky’s vegan recipe for Gnudi with Wild Mushrooms here.

Click here for my savory mushroom kugel recipe (dairy).

Find classic creamy polenta with roasted mushrooms by clicking here (dairy).

Buying notes: Many farmers’ markets have mushroom vendors. Be sure to ask if these growers use pesticides. If they do, steer clear and turn to organic mushrooms you’ll find at Whole Foods.

I am very lucky to have been gifted a 15″ Lodge cast iron pan by a close friend a few years back. If you haven’t made the leap into purchasing a cast iron pan, consider buying the large size so you have the most flexibility when preparing meals. The scorching hot surface yielded  perfectly golden mushrooms and allowed me to toss a full pound of linguini with all of my ingredients just before serving.

 

Disclosure: This post includes affiliate links. By clicking through to purchase through those links, a small percentage benefits Kosher Like Me, at no additional cost to you. Thanks for supporting my blogging habit.

Leave a Reply

SIDE DISH
Photo by Jerri Graham Photography

Hi. I’m Liz and I welcome you to Kosher Like Me.

When I’m not caressing fruits and veggies at my local farmers’ market you’ll likely find me chatting with like-minded eaters, probing the scene in NYC or seeking inspiration in my spice cabinet. Life outside of this blog is all about my family, tasty travel adventures and power walks deep in the CT woods or along the shore.

Please brew a fragrant cup of tea, grab a nosh and stay a while.