Mushroom lovers: get ready to fall in love all over again. (Mushroom haters: let’s be honest, you might want to sit this one out.)
I was not a fan of mushrooms growing up. Like most vegetables that weren’t potatoes, I avoided mushrooms whenever humanly possible. It has taken years, but mushrooms have finally won me over and we eat them in some form at least once a week: grilled, roasted, sautéed, stuffed, in a savoury bread pudding, in risotto…
This recipe, though. This recipe is so simple and straightforward that I’m shocked it’s taken me this long to try it. My husband bought me this fabulous cookbook a couple of Christmases ago, and this simply incredible recipe was hiding in amongst many fancier-sounding vegetable side dishes. My favourite part is that it was first published in the New York Times in 1877!
All you need is some fresh mushrooms, butter, and salt and pepper; throw them in a pan and into a hot oven, baste liberally with more butter while they bake, then a quick garnish of fresh chopped flat-leaf parsley and a squeeze of lemon. I added my own twist by scattering some sliced garlic amongst the mushrooms during baking. The original recipe doesn’t call for garlic, but the smell of mushrooms and butter that was filling my house just didn’t seem complete without some garlic as well. I stand by my decision; it was delicious.
These would be fantastic alongside a nice grilled steak, or you can do what we did and eat them straight out of the pan, standing up at the kitchen counter, as fast as you possibly can.
- 20 white mushrooms, cleaned and trimmed
- 1 tablespoon cold butter
- 2 tablespoons melted butter
- Salt & pepper to taste
- 1-2 cloves garlic, sliced thin
- Chopped parsley and lemon juice, to serve
- Preheat oven to 375 degrees F.
- Place the mushrooms, stem side up and in a single layer, in a baking dish or cast iron skillet. Cut the 1 tablespoon cold butter into small pieces and use it to dot each mushroom. Season with salt & pepper.
- Bake in preheated oven for 20-30 minutes, basting/brushing with the melted butter every 10 minutes or so. After the first 10 minutes, scatter the chopped garlic amongst the mushrooms.
- The mushrooms are done when the tops are golden brown and the edges are wilted. Remove from oven and top with fresh lemon juice and chopped parsley. Serve immediately.
Source: Adapted from The Essential New York Times Cookbook by Amanda Hesser (Baked Mushrooms recipe, July 8, 1877)
