The deep, earthy flavors of this dish are welcome in any holiday meal.
Wild mushrooms are one of Western Washington’s great natural offerings. And while it’s all well and good to talk about foraging for your own in the Cascade foothills, not everyone has the time or expertise. However, there is one place of plenty that’s freely visitable: Pike Place Market, and the copious bins at Sosio’s.
A market institution, Sosio’s offers an impressive array of fall fungi, with chanterelles, hedgehogs and black trumpets all in stock — not to mention northwest truffles.
“Fall is the greatest time for mushrooms,” says Mike Osborn, who worked at Sosio’s for 25 years before buying the business with produce partner Alan Stott in 2007.
With about a dozen varieties in stock, Osborn recommends a medley. And with wild mushrooms as good as these, it’s always best to let the ingredients speak for themselves (with a little amplification from a nob of butter, of course.)
“The mixes do really well,” he adds. “If you don’t make it too fancy, you can taste everything.”
Roasted Wild Mushrooms
2 pounds wild mushrooms (chanterelle, lobster, porcini, etc.)
3 tablespoons butter
2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
Several sprigs fresh thyme
1. Wash, dry mushrooms.
2. In a skillet, melt the butter as needed and cook the mushrooms in batches, making sure each batch is just one layer in the pan. Sauté on medium until the mushrooms’ juices flow.
3. When the juices are almost all reabsorbed, transfer each batch to a bowl.
4. Add a little more butter to the pan and add the sliced garlic and thyme sprigs, then cook until the garlic softens.
5. Pour the mushrooms and their juices back into the pan for a last toss to warm the mixture and distribute the garlic and thyme.
6. Pour the mushrooms back into the bowl and serve.