Butter-Braised Cardoons and Oyster Mushrooms #SundayFunday

Today the Sunday Funday group is sharing mushroom recipes. Thanks to Stacy of Food Lust People Love, Sue of Palatable Pastime, Rebekah of Making Miracles, and Wendy of A Day in the Life on the Farm for coordinating this low-stress group. 

This week, with Sneha of Sneha's Recipe hosting, we're sharing recipes that include mushrooms. Here's today's line-up...

• Beef Stroganoff With Oyster Mushrooms from Sneha’s Recipe
• Butter-Braised Cardoons and Oyster Mushrooms from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Grilled Filet Mignon with Mushroom Cream Sauce from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Mini Mushroom Burger Bites from Sid's Sea Palm Cooking
• Mushroom Masala from Mayuri's Jikoni
• Noodle Soup with Enoki Mushrooms and Scallops from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Pork Chops with Garlic Butter Mushrooms from Amy's Cooking Adventures

Mushrooms

I recently shared - in my Mushroom Ragù - why I don't forage for mushrooms. But I also don't use them in my kitchen often because I have a teen who is mushroom-averse. I try to reason with him...and ask why because he used to love them as a child. But he just says that fungus isn't meant to be eaten. So, I usually avoid them as much as I can or make them large enough that he can pick them out. It's too bad, really, because they are so versatile. In any case, this recipe was inspired by a recent trip to a farmers' market where I saw cardoons.

Cardoons look menacing, kind of like fuzzy celery on steroids. But they are actually closely related to artichokes. Whenever I find them, I buy as many as I can manage. I needed to bolster this recipe to serve more and only had 4 cardoons, so I added in bok choy. If you are only serving four people, or so, you can use only the cardoons.

Ingredients serves 8

First you have to prep the cardoons by blanching...

Blanching

• 3 to 4 cardoons (approximately 3 cups, once prepped)
• 3 cups bok choy stems, cut into 1-1/2" lengths
• juice from 2 organic lemons
• water

Braised Cardoons

• 1 stick butter
• 2 large clove garlic, crushed
• 2 cups sliced mushrooms (I used oyster mushrooms)
• 3/4 cup breadcrumbs 
• 1 Tablespooon fresh thyme leaves
• freshly ground black pepper

Procedure

Blanching

Fill a large pot with cold water and juice from 2 organic lemons.

Trim both ends of cardoon stalks and remove all leaves. Using a paring knife, shave the edges off each stalk; they have tiny barbs on them. Cut each stalk crosswise in 1-1/2” pieces and immediately place in the lemon water bath. Add the bok choy, if using.

Bring the lemon water, cardoons, and bok choy (if using) to a boil. Cook until tender, approximately 15 minutes. Drain and set aside.

Melt the butter in a large flat-bottom pan that's wide enough to accommodate the cardoons and bok choy comfortably. Add the garlic and mushrooms. Let them soften, approximately 5 minutes.

Add the cardoons and bok choy. Stir to coat with butter and let cook until tender, approximately 12 to 15 minutes. Add the bread crumbs and cook, stirring occasionally, until the breadcrumbs have browned a bit and the cardoons are tender, approximately 5 minutes longer.

Just before serving, toss in fresh thyme leaves and sprinkle with freshly ground pepper.

That's a wrap for our mushrooms event. We'll be back next week with a virtual bar full of mocktails. Stay tuned!