Fabulous mushroom soup:

Half a pound of mushrooms, one zucchini, one onion, one red pepper; buzz them up fine in a food processor and sautee in olive oil, add water (enough to get the consistency you want) and simmer.

Before serving, dump a small container of low fat cottage cheese in there and buzz with a handheld blender (add more water if needed). Yummy!

You can substitute any chicken or vegetable stock for the water, of course.

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Garlic mushrooms:

Lots and lots and LOTS of chopped garlic.
Olive Oil.
Big skillet.
Sliced mushrooms.

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MUSHROOMS TAPENADE
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Ingredients:
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4 tblsp capers
6 anchovy fillets, drained
1 cup olive oil
1/4 cup lemon juice
1 lb small mushrooms
Freshly ground black pepper

Instructions:
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Rinse two tablespoons of capers and dry on a paper towel. Pound them and the anchovies in a mortar or press them through a sieve with a spoon.

When the mixture is reduced to a paste, transfer it to a mixing bowl. Add the oil little by little, stirring as you do it.

Add the lemon juice and pepper to taste. Let the sauce stand in a covered container at least 4 hours before serving.

Remove the stems from the mushrooms and clean them with a damp paper towel. Place five on each plate and spoon three tablespoons of the tapenade over them.
Garnish the plates with the remaining capers.

Mushroom, onion & cream cheese omelets. No Sunday is really properly started without one.

The two of us go through about two pounds of mushrooms a week. I throw slivered sauteed mushrooms in just about everything: in scrambled eggs or omelets in the morning, in sandwiches, into fritatti and pasta dishes, and just last night into burritos.


But with gorgeous fresh-from-market mushrooms, I'd let 'em shine on their own, more or less.

mushrooms in cream, over toast

Mind you, I've never paid attention to measurements when making this; this is off the cuff. Improvise as you see fit.

Coarsely slice or chop mushrooms. Put a small knob of butter and a small glug of olive oil in a medium-hot pan. Toss in a minced shallot, stir. (If you don't have a shallot, skip it and add garlic later.) Add mushrooms; sprinkle with kosher salt.

Cook, stirring occasionally. When they stop exuding juice, add a pinch (or more!) of chili powder, oregano, and a good grating each of nutmeg and black pepper. (If you skipped the shallot, add one or two minced cloves of garlic now.) Stir a few minutes, until spices become aromatic. Mmmmm.

Toss in a generous shot of brandy. (Cheap is fine! Good is even better.) Toss or stir until brandy is evaporated. Reduce heat and throw in --- oh, let's say --- half a pint of cream (or even half & half); cook, stirring, until cream thickens. Serve over good bread, sliced, toasted or warmed.

Fantastic with a glass of red wine or cider and a green salad with a tangy dressing.

Elsa that sounds ridiculously good. hm. no brandy, cheap or otherwise lying about. will have to see about that.

i love essexjan's tapenade idea as well, but don't have capers or anchovies handy, curses. well, since tonight's menu is already handled, i think i'll probably need to do a quick run to the store tomorrow anyway.

hm. i do like the omelette idea as well.

decisions, decisions. i *do* have chicken stock.

thanks everyone, these are really helping me form a plan!

pssst: sherry, vermouth, or wine would be nice, though not so luxurious as brandy. And, of course, it's possible to make the dish without alcohol at all, though I'd add something for depth and acid: a strip of lemon zest with the butter/oil, and a splash of lemon juice at the end, maybe.

I can't imagine why I didn't specify options as I was typing. Doy.

it's ok Elsa, this is pointing out gaps in the pantry that i've been too broke and lazy to deal with. this is how i learn things: the hard way :]

How are you with souffles?

Become a millionaire by selling them for a dollar each?

half a pound is not actually a lot at all... by the time they cook down they will probably seem like barely enough!

We had some fabulous portobellos the other day, and I've decided I'm never eating anything else ever again; it's gonna be portobellos and Cristal all the way.

RIP, mihail ♥

You could do a live tissue transfer to an agar dish under a flow hood, clone them and grow your own? ;)