from the NY Times
Memphis Dry-Rub Mushrooms
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FROM THE MARKET:
2 pounds large clusters of black oyster mushrooms or lion’s mane, or portobello mushrooms
IN YOUR KITCHEN:
½ (packed) cup dark brown sugar
¼ cup hot paprika
2 tablespoons kosher salt
2 tablespoons onion powder
2 tablespoons garlic powder
1 tablespoon ground black pepper
1 ½ teaspoons cumin seed
1 ½ teaspoons dry mustard
½ cup canola oil or grapeseed oil
¼ cup Worcestershire sauce
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Make the rub: In a large bowl, combine all rub ingredients and mix well. Reserve 1/4 cup rub for the mushrooms and put the rest in an airtight container for another use, such as chicken, salmon or cauliflower.
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Prepare the mushrooms: Heat the oven to 400 degrees. Using a slightly damp kitchen towel, wipe the mushrooms to remove any dirt. (Don’t rinse the mushrooms or submerge them in water.) Carefully cut or tear the mushrooms into 6 large pieces about the size of a hand.
Place the mushrooms on a large sheet pan and drizzle them with the oil and Worcestershire sauce. Gently massage the reserved 1/4 cup dry rub into the nooks and crannies of the mushrooms.
Roast the mushrooms on the top rack until deeply browned and crisp at the edges, about 40 minutes.
from Bon Appetit
Sweet & Spicy Grilled Summer Squash
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FROM THE MARKET:
4 summer squash or zucchini-halved and cut lengthwise
1/3 c honey
½ shallot
¼ c coarsely chopped cilantro
IN YOUR KITCHEN:
Salt
1/3 c unseasoned rice vinegar
¼ c soy sauce
3 T hot chili paste like sambal oelek
2 T vegetable oil
1 lime halved
1 t toasted sesame seeds
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Crosshatch squash, toss with 1 t salt and let sit for 10 minutes. Pat dry.
Combine honey, vinegar, soy sauce and chili paste in a saucepan and simmer for about 5-7 minutes until slightly thickened. Remove from heat and add 1T of oil.
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Toss squash with 1 T oil and then brush with glaze. Grill cut side down until charred around the edges. Continue to grill and brush with glaze on cut side.
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Transfer to a platter. Squeeze juice from lime, add shallot and cilantro and salt to taste. Drizzle leftover glaze on squash and top with herb and shallots and sprinkle with sesame seeds.
from the kitchen of Linda Fears
Farro with Asparagus and Onion
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FROM THE MARKET:
2 sweet onions, thinly sliced
1 lb asparagus, cut into 1-inch pieces
¼ c chopped parsley
IN YOUR KITCHEN:
¼ c olive oil
1 ½ c farro
1 TBS red wine vinegar
2 pinches red pepper flakes
Salt and pepper
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Heat the olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the onions and 1/4 teaspoon salt and cook, stirring occasionally, until soft and translucent, about 25 minutes. Increase the heat to medium high and cook, stirring often, until golden brown, 5 to 10 minutes more.
While the onions cook, cook the farro in a pot of boiling water along with 1 teaspoon salt. Simmer until tender, about 20 minutes. Add the asparagus and cook until crisp-tender, about 2 minutes; drain well.
Add the farro and asparagus to the caramelized onions along with the parsley, vinegar and red pepper flakes. Season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a bowl and serve.
recipe from smitten.com
Oven Fries
This works with either the classic Russet/Idaho potatoes used for traditional french fries, or with golden potatoes, such as Yukon Golds. The photos here show both. For fried potatoes, I prefer Russets, but for roasting, I prefer the Golds because their waxier state makes a more tender-centered fry with the more complex flavor you lose when not frying.
Yield: fries for 4 people
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From the market:
4 medium potatoes
3-4 T. Olive oil
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In Your Pantry:
Fine sea salt
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Heat oven to 450 degrees F.
Peel your potatoes if you wish; scrub them well if you do not. Cut potatoes into just-shy-of 1/2-inch batons. Place in a large pot and cover with an inch or two of water. Set heat to high and set timer for 10 minutes. If potatoes come to a boil in this time (mine usually do not), reduce the heat to medium. Otherwise, when timer rings, whether or not the potatoes have boiled, test one. You’re looking for a very “al dente” potato — one that is too firm to eat enjoyable, but has no crunch left. A good sign that they’re not too cooked is when you roughly tumble them into a colander, only one or two break.
Meanwhile, coat a large baking sheet with 2 to 3 tablespoons of olive oil and place it in the oven for a few minutes, so the oil gets very hot and rolls easily around the pan.
Drain your potatoes and immediately spread them on oiled baking sheet in one layer. Drizzle with last tablespoon of olive oil, sprinkle with salt and roast for 20 minutes, until golden underneath. Toss potatoes around to encourage them to color evenly and return them to the oven for another 5 minutes. Repeat this 1 or 2 more times (for me, 30 minutes total roasting time is the sweet spot), until your “fries” are deeply golden, brown at the edges and impossible not to eat.
Season with more salt while they’re hot, pile them on a platter and dig in.
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