Roasted Shitakes aka Umami Bomb
It finally happened. I finally got to try them, and she was right….they are amazing. My sister-in-law and I are constantly exchanging recipes, especially ones that involve simple preparations to elevate vegetables and grains. Several months ago she called me to share her newest find, roasted shitakes or as she called them “little umami bombs”. They walk the tight rope between crispy and juicy and are so flavorful they tempt even the most stubborn carnivores into dabbling in the vegetarian world. I was itching to try these and we made a plan to eat them before I went off to school.
Unfortunately, I think I was fungi cursed. First attempt in eating these was right before I headed to Italy and I was a little late in arriving to my sisters house…they had been devoured. No worries right, I will just eat them in Italy…alas I never laid a hand on shitakes. Fast forward 4 months and its brunch time, the shitakes are ready, pulled out of the oven, placed on the counter, knocked off the counter, the pan does a perfect 180 flip and mushrooms go flying. While my brother pleaded the 5 second rule, the fungi found themselves in the trash. So when my sister brought a full bag to our house I did not get my hopes up, until they were in my mouth. All I can say…they were worth the wait! Umami bomb.
Roasted Shitakes:
2 c small shitakes
grapeseed oil
1/4 t cumin
1/4 t ginger
1/2 t black sesame
1/2 t white sesame
2 T coarse salt
Mix all of the spices together and set aside. Preheat the oven to 450. Place the shitakes on a baking sheet spaced out so none are touching. Drizzle lightly with grapeseed oil. You do not want to add a lot of oil otherwise they will fry instead of roast. Sprinkle with the salt mixture to taste (this is a great mixture to have around the kitchen so don’t worry if you don’t use it all).
Place in oven for 7 minutes. Remove and flip the shitakes. Return to oven for an additional 7 minutes. You want the edges to be crispy and the center to remain soft and juicy. If using larger shitakes you may need to extend the time to 20 minutes total.
Remove from oven. If needed add more seasoning, serve immediately and Enjoy!
Please Share Your Thoughts!