Recipes

Grilled Maitake with Garlic, Parsley and Aioli

serves 4

Norma Cravens of Springwater Farm in St. Helens, Oregon calls maitake her deserted island mushroom. If she could have only one edible fungus, it would be this one. It’s not hard to understand why. Maitake mushrooms have a clean, mineral flavor and a meaty heft. They have a particular affinity with the smoke of the grill, which does not overwhelm them but rather enhances their flinty character.

This simple preparation of grilled maitake lets the mushrooms shine. They are served merely with chopped parsley and garlic, and a tart aioli on the side.

Ingredients

• Aioli
• 1 to 2 garlic cloves, finely minced or mashed to a paste in a mortar and pestle
• ¾ tsp. salt
• 2 large egg yolks at room temperature
• 5 to 6 tsp. fresh lemon juice
• 1 cup neutral tasting vegetable oil, such as safflower, canola or grapeseed
• ½ cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1 to 2 tsp. warm water, or as needed to thin aioli
• freshly ground black pepper, to taste
• optional: 1 ½ tsp. red wine vinegar
• Mushrooms
• 1 pound maitake mushrooms, brushed clean
• 1 Tbsp. extra virgin olive oil
• salt and freshly ground pepper
• 2 cloves garlic, chopped
• 2 Tbsp. chopped Italian parsley

1. For the aioli, in a bowl whisk the garlic paste, salt, egg yolk, and 3 tsp. of the lemon juice until the mixture is light and creamy.
2. Using either a circular or a back and forth motion, briskly whisk the oils into the yolk mixture drop by drop. Increase oil to a thin stream as you continue whisking, until you have incorporated all the oil. If the aioli becomes too thick, whisk in some of the warm water to loosen it.
3. Add the remaining lemon juice. Add black pepper to taste and red wine vinegar if desired. Adjust seasonings. Aioli keeps, refrigerated for 5 days.
4. For the mushrooms, trim ¼ inch from the bottom of the stems. If mushrooms are large, slice them into pieces no larger than a fist, otherwise leave whole.
5. Put mushrooms in a bowl and toss them with the olive oil, salt, and pepper. Grill the mushrooms over moderate heat, turning occasionally, until the edges are brown and the flesh is cooked through. This may take as long as 10 minutes, depending on the size of the mushrooms.
6. Toss the mushrooms with garlic and parsley and serve with aioli on the side for dipping.

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