I mentioned the ramps last week, but did I mention the mushrooms? Oh it was mushroom heaven... wish you had been there. In honor of said glorious mushrooms, here's a little something that showcases them.

Because there was a dedicated mushroom stall at the green market, I was spoiled for choices. In the end I chose Hen-of-the-Wood, Yellow Oyster, and Shitake. With the exception of Shitake, Oyster (yellow or white), and Hen-of-the-Wood can be difficult to come by. If you’re in a fungi kind of mood but not near a green market, replace with whatever mushrooms you can find and like. As I mentioned last week, there were ramps at the market, too. Adding them to this recipe made it that much more special. These things only grow together at one time of the year, enjoy it. If ramps are unavailable, I would replace with a combination of sauteed shallots and chives.

This elegant but earthy dish is such a special treat. Leftovers – if there are leftovers – are divine in omelets or quiches. You’ll notice there is a fair amount of olive oil in this recipe. Mushrooms absorb oil/butter very quickly. This means that although it may seem to be too much on paper, the dish is no way “oily.” If this for a special meal or you’re less concerned with calorie counting, you can use butter instead.

Sauteed Wild Mushrooms with Ramps

• 1 lb mixed wild mushrooms, (I used 1/3 lb Hen-of-the-Wood, 1/3 lb Yellow Oyster which are sweeter than the white variety, and 1/3 lb Shitake), brushed clean of dirt and depending on type of mushroom, stemmed, cut, split, etc
• 1 bunch, about 2 cups, ramps (cleaned, left whole. Replace with 1 large shallot and 1 large bunch chive if you can’t get ramps)
• 2 tbs fresh thyme leaves
• 1/3 cup fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
• 4 Tsp olive oil, divided
• Salt and pepper to taste

• Heat 1 tsp of oil to almost smoking in a large, non-stick or cast iron pan. Sear the first type of mushroom until edges begin to brown and crisp. If using a mushroom with a high water content, then let the mushrooms cook until they release their liquid, then saute until dry and crispy around the edges. Set aside. Repeat process with each type of mushroom using.
• Heat final tsp of oil to very hot, add the thyme and the ramps. Saute quickly, wilting the ramps but not quite cooking them – they should still have a bit of a bite. Add the mushrooms and parsley to the pan, salt and pepper to taste, saute all together for a minute and serve. This is great hot, room temp, or cold.

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