Whenever I am in San Francisco , I try to take advantage of the city that I have always considered better place for food than Los Angeles. Last weekend, unfortunately, the circumstances of my trip made it difficult to seek out the foods that I wanted.
I did, however manage to stop by the Ferry Building and pick up a few culinary treats to take home with me. First I got a nice big bottle of California olive oil. It’s rich and delightfully flavorful. I also got a fresh porcini mushroom. A rare treat! The mushroom weighed in at 0.4 lbs and cost me $20… but I didn’t care! I was too excited thinking what dish the mushroom was going to end up in.
I continued to contemplate what to do with the mushroom the whole drive back to Los Angeles, I wanted to make something that would let the flavor and texture of the mushroom shine through, so simplicity would be key.
What I ended up making was just a simple pasta dish. The California Olive Oil added flavor, but did not overwhelm the mushroom, while a bit of butter inhanced the mushroom’s flavor. A handful of dried cherries and walnuts finished it off nicely to add a bit of sweetness and contrasting textures.
Orecchiette with Porcini Mushrooms, Dried Cherries and Walnuts
- 2 tbs Extra Virgin Olive Oil
- 1 tbs Organic Butter
- 3 cloves Garlic, minced
- 1 large Porcini Mushroom
- 2 tbs Walnut Pieces
- 1/4 cup Dried Cherries
- 3 oz Orecchiette or other dry pasta
- Bring a large pot of water to a boil. Add the pasta.
- In a large skillet, heat half (1tbs) of the oil and the butter. Once the butter starts to sizzle, add the mushrooms. Cook until they start to become tender, then add the garlic. Continue cooking, stirring often.
- Once the mushrooms have become soft and tender and some brown bits form in the pan, deglaze with about 1/3 cup pasta water.
- When the pasta is done, drain and add to the mushrooms. Add the remaining olive oil, walnuts and cherries. Mix well and serve immediately.
This dish was super simple, but incredibly delicious. The flavor of the mushroom is so delightful that I wouldn’t even think of trying to distract from it with cheese or any other ingredients.
