Jun 22, 2008 3:00 am US/Pacific
Tony Tantillo: Shiitake Mushrooms
(CBS 3)
Well this
week's tip is going to be with Shiitake mushrooms.
Now let's
face it, there are tons of mushrooms to select right now. Portobello mushrooms
you can buy five different ways, sliced, whole, or chopped up, but one of my
favorite mushrooms, especially in Risotto, different pasta dishes, or by
themselves, is the Shiitake mushroom. Look at these mushrooms, aren't they
beautiful? OK… as a matter of fact they're probably one of the ugliest
mushrooms, but do they taste good; they're loaded with flavor.
When you
buy them you want to make sure the cavity is nice and clear, free from any
decaying whatsoever, and check right here [along the top outer edges] also. You
want to make sure they're fairly rubbery, but just a little bit. If they start
to rub off when you touch 'em, They've been stored around for too long.
Now when it
comes to storage when you do bring them home, store them in the refrigerator.
Like all mushrooms, and I say this all the time, in a brown paper bag cause if
you keep them in a plastic bag, you know what happens? The plastic will smother
the mushrooms and they'll start to decay, and you don't want that.
As a matter
of fact, they'll decay 5 – 10 times faster in a plastic bag. In a brown bag
they will breathe and last longer. If there isn't a brown bag at the market,
you know in the produce department, ask the guy to get you one. He should get
you one, and if he doesn't, tell him Tony said you would. If they get mad at
me, well, what can I do about it?
These
mushrooms are great, the Shiitake mushroom, and you know at one time they were
so expensive, but now you can find them sometimes for under $10 a pound; that's
a great deal.
Turkey Cutlets with Mushrooms and Dry Vermouth:
This is the kind
of restaurant dish most people wouldn't cook at home, but it's quick and easy,
just don't try it for more than four people.
Serves 4
4 turkey cutlets, cut from the breast
about 5 ounces each
3 tablespoons all-purpose flour
1½ teaspoons chopped fresh thyme, or ¾ teaspoon dried
Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper to taste
1½ tablespoons clarified butter* or
regular butter
2 tablespoons minced shallots
4 ounces thinly sliced wild or domestic mushrooms, or a combination of the two
1 tablespoon chopped chives
⅔ cup dry vermouth or dry white wine
1. If the butcher hasn't done it
already, pound cutlets between two sheets of butcher paper or aluminum
foil until ¼ inch thick or less. Combine flour, thyme, salt, and pepper.
Dredge cutlets in flour mixture and shake off any excess.
2. In a skillet large enough to
hold all cutlets comfortably in a single layer, heat clarified butter over
medium heat. When fat is hot, add cutlets and cook about 3 to 4 minutes on
one side, then 2 to 3 minutes on the other side.
3. Remove cutlets to a warm
platter or individual plates. Add shallots and mushrooms and more salt and
pepper to the skillet. Stir a few minutes until mushrooms and shallots
soften. Add vermouth and raise heat to medium high. Scrape up particles
from the bottom of the pan with a wooden spoon.
4. As soon as sauce thickens,
about 2 minutes, pour over cutlets. Sprinkle with chives.
Cooking
Tip
I always keep a dry vermouth in my refrigerator so I don't have to open a
bottle of white wine when a small amount is needed for a recipe. Vermouth is
fortified so it will last a lot longer than table wine.
* To clarify butter, put a pound of
butter in a saucepan over medium-low heat. Gently simmer 5 minutes, remove from
the heat and cool 5 minutes. Skim off top layer of foam. Pour the clarified
butter gently into a bowl. Stop when you reach the milky white solids on the
bottom of the pan. Don't throw out the milky solids; they're delicious on
cooked vegetables. Clarified butter keeps several weeks in the refrigerator.
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