STOP : take your mushrooms and step away from the running water
we are talking mushrooms my friend – an ingredient that I used to loathe very very much • I could never really get over the fact that they are fungi • since my palette has expanded and developed into what I like to think is super sophisticated, my love for the fungi has grown • because I started to appreciate mushrooms much later in life, I never really cooked with them when I was younger • so, much of what I know about mushrooms (which to be honest is not a ton) I learned fairly recently • here’s a quick rundown
the varieties – cremini + shiitake.
i literally could spend all day going through the various varieties of mushrooms and their flavors – not because I love mushrooms that much – but because there’s a never ending variety of them out there • two of my faves are used in this chicken marsala recipe – cremini and shiitake
cremini mushrooms are tiny portobello mushrooms, shaped like white buttom mushrooms but brown • to me, they are like all-purpose mushrooms – if I am ever lost on what time of mushroom I should be using, I stick with cremini • they are delicious in pretty much anything – rice, risotto, salads and soups
shiitake mushrooms have a stronger and denser flavor than cremini mushrooms, which is why I think they work perfectly in this dish to give it a little extra mushroomy kick • they come in a variety of sizes • I typically associate shiitake with a lot of asian dishes
cleaning mushrooms.
one of the most avoidable mistakes you can make it to rinse mushrooms off in water and/or submerge them in water before cooking with them • mushrooms are super porous so they’ll literally never dry if you soak them down with water and they won’t be able to soak up broth or other flavorful liquids in whatever it is you are cooking • the best way to clean mushrooms is to wipe each one off with a damp paper towel to remove all of the dirt • if you must – emphasis on must – very very lightly rinse off those mushrooms that are super super dirty but be careful not to saturate them
[lt_recipe name=”creamy chicken marsala” print=”yes” ingredients=”1.5 – 2 pounds, chicken breast cutlets (approx. 4);2 tablespoons coarse kosher salt;3 shallots, chopped;1 pound mushrooms, cremini + shiitake, thinly sliced;1 clove garlic, chopped or pressed;3/4 cup all-purpose flour;2 tablespoons butter;4 teaspoons olive oil;1/2 cup marsala wine;3/4 cup chicken stock;1 tablespoon flour;1 tablespoon butter;1/2 tablespoon heavy cream;freshly ground black pepper, to taste;chopped parsley, for serving” ]tenderize + salt. lay raw chicken cutlets on a flat surface (coat with plastic wrap or wax paper). tenderize with a meat tenderize, slightly flattening each cutlet. transfer to a bowl or plate and abundantly salt. set aside.;mise en place. prepare shallots, mushrooms, garlic, and parsley. for the mushrooms, clean with a damp paper towel and thinly slice. i typically use the stem on cremini mushrooms, slicing the entire mushroom as a whole. remove the shiitake stems since they are a bit tougher. i used about a 60 (cremini) / 40 (shiitake) ratio, but feel free to adjust according to your taste. set aside everything in prep bowls;cook the chicken in batches. heat 1 tablespoon of butter and 2 teaspoons olive oil in a medium-large nonstick skillet over high heat. dredge each cutlet in flour and place 2 pieces in the pan at a time, work in batches. cook until browned, about 10 to 12 minutes on the first side and 8 to 10 minutes on the second side. add the remaining butter and olive oil and cook the rest of the chicken. set cooked chicken aside on a plate. do not rinse / clean the skillet – leave all of the fat and brown bits which will leave a flavor for the mushrooms and shallots to soak up.;make the mushroom marsala sauce. if needed, add a tiny bit of olive oil or butter to coat the bottom of the skillet, which should still be hot at this point. add the shallots and toss for about 30 seconds on medium heat. then add the mushrooms and cook until softened and browned. add the chicken stock and marsala wine and bring to a low boil / simmer for about 2 to 3 minutes. stir in a tablespoon of flour to thicken the sauce and reduce heat. melt in a tablespoon of butter and stir in heavy cream.;serve. add the cooked chicken back into the pan and toss in the marsala sauce coating each piece. sprinkle with freshly ground black pepper to taste and fresh parsley. serve with white rice, potatoes, or pasta.[/lt_recipe]
