EXTRAORDINARILY VERSATILE, MUSHROOMS ARE A QUINTESSENTIAL FALL INGREDIENT, AND THE VARIETY IS TRULY ASTOUNDING, WITH MORE THAN 100,000 SPECIES KNOWN TO MAN (AND 3,000 EDIBLE). HERE’S A LOVE LETTER TO THE HALLOWED FUNGUS, THE EARTHY, NUTRIENT RICH, AND ENDLESSLY ADAPTABLE AUTUMN STALWART

BY CHEF DAVID BURKE

Described as culinary chameleons, mushrooms are used in nearly every culture’s cooking because they’re loaded with umami, they have an amazing ability to absorb and amplify other flavors, and they boast a wide range of textures, from delicately silky enoki to densely meaty portobello. They can be the star of a dish or play a supporting role, adding depth without overpowering. And their neutral color and adaptable flavor profile make them easy to integrate into both traditional and experimental dishes.

Then there’s the fact that they are low in calories, high in fiber, and loaded with nutrients and antioxidants. Oh, and they are one of the most sustainable food sources around. As a result, always keeping them in your fridge, like I do, is a boon to your culinary endeavors. Their texture holds up well for most preparation techniques, from baking, roasting, and grilling to stir-frying, dehydrating, and deep frying. Mushrooms are readily available year-round, although they are most commonly associated with fall since it is their peak growth period and they go well with the season’s root vegetables and leafy greens.

Mushroom soup is always a fall crowd pleaser and can be made with either fresh or leftover mushrooms. Jazz it up with grilled cheese croutons or the grand-mere garnish above. A slice of toast spread with goat cheese or sundried tomatoes and topped with sautéed mushroom does the jazzing-up trick.

To give your favorite fungus a longer shelf-life, I make a compound mushroom butter with garlic, shallots, and thyme for diverse uses. It’s a great finishing touch for vegetable dishes and adds intriguing tasting notes to eggs, fried, scrambled, or as an omelet. Swirled into soups just before serving lends velvety umami depth.

Spread the mushroom butter on sourdough toast and top with sautéed mushrooms, then possibly add a splash of Red Horse by David Burke 26 Ridge Road, Rumson / 732.576.3400 27 Mine Brk Rd, Bernardsville / 908.766.0002 redhorsebydb.com / chefdavidburke.com marsala, sherry, or port, and you have another fast starter or party passer. Take the mushroom butter toast into entrée territory with a bigger piece of toast and add a layer of bacon, then crown with filet mignon. It’s essentially a modern day beef Wellington with the toast subbing for the pastry, the mush room butter for the duxelles, and the bacon for foie gras and prosciutto.

The combination of mushrooms and bacon is a classic culinary cornerstone, exemplified by the French grand-mere (grandmother) garnish. A medley of mushrooms, bacon, potatoes, and onions, it’s a terrific complement to the braised meats of fall and winter. It also serves well as a pizza, pasta, or potato topping, as a taco or omelet filling, or as a lasagna layer. And it makes an unexpectedly complementary accompaniment to heavier seafood, like swordfish. Bottom line, use your imagination!

Red Horse by David Burke

26 Ridge Road, Rumson / 732.576.3400 27

Mine Brk Rd, Bernardsville / 908.766.0002

redhorsebydb.com / chefdavidburke.com