A Side Dish of Sauteed Mushrooms

It may not be the prettiest dish to look at (just dim the lights and use lots of candles, lol) but there is never a holiday, where it's not on the table. I'm a mushroom lover and it's a simple dish that I always loved cooking and eating. (Make sure to use a wooden spoon, when tossing and stirring the mushrooms. I'm giving you advice that my mom would give me but when I would ask why? There would be no real answer except it tastes better, lol. But I've found the answer, wooden spoons and spatulas are gentle enough on your enamelled cast iron pots, while being substantial enough to handle what is in them.) You can always add some herbs like rosemary or marjoram to make them more special. This goes great with yesterdays' post, "Pistachio & Coriander Crusted Prime Rib." If there are any leftovers, you can toss them with cooked cheese tortellini and top with grated Parmesan Reggiano cheese. Enjoy!

• 2 1/2 pounds button mushrooms, sliced about 1/2 inch thick*
• 1 medium onion, chopped (equalling about 1 cup)
• 4 tablespoons unsalted butter
• sea salt
• ground black pepper

In a heavy 5 1/2 quart Dutch oven, combine the onion and butter and saute on low heat, uncovered until the onion is softened about 5 minutes. Add in the mushrooms and give them a nice toss and salt them. (I add them in two batches.) Cover your pot and give them another toss after about 10 minutes. Cook on low heat covered for an hour, stirring occasionally. Your pot will be filled with them but once they cook, they reduce down to about a third, so if you are serving many people, you might want to double the recipe. For a family of mushroom lovers, it's a good idea. After the hour is up, make sure your mushrooms are tender. (If tossing in any herbs, do so at this point.) Increase the heat to medium-high for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally until the liquids have evaporated. Adjust the seasoning as needed.


*I usually wipe down the mushrooms with a damp cloth but running them under water won't hurt to remove the dirt. Then trim the bottoms, if needed. You can alternatively quarter the mushrooms, instead of slicing them.