No. 1 : Quick Recipe
Cast Iron Skillet Roasted Mushrooms and Goat Cheese
- 16 OZ Mushrooms, Sliced (I used shiitake and Baby Bella mushrooms)
- 1/2 Cup Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 4 Large Grated Garlic Cloves
- 1 Jalepeno or Serrano, ribbed and seeded if desired, Sliced
- Sea Salt and Freshly Ground Pepper
- 6 OZ Soft Goat Cheese
- Thyme for garnish (optional)
Step One
Preheat the oven to 400F.Place the mushrooms in a cast iron skillet. Drizzle the mushrooms with olive oil and stir in the garlic and the sliced pepper. Push the mushroom mixture to the sides of the pan.
Step Two
Crumble the goat cheese and place in the middle of mushrooms. Roast in the oven for about 30 minutes or until the mushrooms are golden. Serve with crusty bread to scoop up the yummy mushrooms and cheese.
No. 2 : Kitchen Scoop
If it sounds like a lot of olive oil for the recipe, remember you are using that oil to create a sauce with the juice from the mushrooms. Serve your skillet up as dinner, as part of an appetizer spread like I have done in the photo above, or use the incredibly good cheesy mushrooms as a pasta sauce. It doesn’t get much tastier than the creamy cheese and the “umami” rich flavor from the roasted mushrooms.
No. 3 : Get Creative
Did you know that goat cheese has been made for thousands of years and dates back to Ancient Greece around 5,000 B.C? Today goat cheese is made in many countries around the globe from China to Burundi to Venezuela as well as here in the United States. This week’s recipe uses the texture of goat cheese to create a creamy texture for the mushrooms, as goat cheese softens when exposed to heat, although it does not melt in the same way many cow cheeses do.
No. 4 : Wine FIND of the Week
Albino Pinot Noir (Pinot Nero)
Trentino Region Italy
About $17
Pinot Noir is a perfect pairing for mushrooms and thyme. Although pinot noir is from the Burgundy region in France, today pinot noir is grown all over the world. In France, its greatest concentration is in Champagne, (one of the three traditional grapes used in the sparkler), then Burgundy, Alsace, and the Loire. it’s also grown in other European countries, most notably Germany, Switzerland and Northern Italy, where it’s called Pinot Nero. You’ll smell aromas of red fruits and earthy mushrooms and enjoy a typical taste of cherries and balsamic.