This simple dish has become a holiday staple at the Frischkorn house. Mama Frischkorn has been making these mushrooms since before I was born (she found the original recipe in a magazine in 1976). For me, this one dish is Christmas to me. As soon as I arrive at my parent’s house each year, I look in the fridge for these mushrooms and immediately dig in. They are awesome.

As great as mom’s recipe is, as a chef I have to take the recipe to the next level. Her recipe calls for standard white button mushrooms, but I like to use local Trumpet Royale mushrooms from Gourmet Mushrooms in Sebastopol, CA.  I prefer the Trumpet Royale variety not just for their flavor, but also for the presentation. If you can’t find these mushrooms, feel free to use button mushrooms or any other mushroom without large brown gills.

These mushrooms make a great appetizer and I like to pair them with Grand Reserve Chardonnay. And once all the mushrooms are gone, the leftover marinade makes a wonderful marinade for chicken. Below is my version of the recipe, I hope you enjoy it.

Mama Frischkorn’s Marinated Mushrooms
Pair with Kendall-Jackson Grand Reserve Chardonnay
Serves 8

Ingredients

• 2 lbs. Trumpet Royale mushrooms
• 1 cup olive oil
• ¼ cup onion, minced
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 4 sprigs fresh thyme
• ½ cup dry white wine
• 1 lemon, zested & juiced
• 1 tsp. dried oregano
• 1 Tbsp. kosher salt
• 2 cracks freshly ground black pepper
• 1 bay leaf

Method

1. Trim the bottoms off the mushrooms and cut mushrooms in half. With a sharp knife, lightly score the mushrooms (3 shallow slices, cross-hatched)
2. In a large saucepan, add the olive oil and heat over medium heat (be careful not to burn the oil). Add the onion, garlic and thyme; cook for 1 minute. Place mushrooms in saucepan and cook for 1 minute and add remaining ingredients. Be careful when adding the wine to the hot olive oil. Simmer, stirring occasionally, for 5 minutes.
3. Cool to room temperature. Place in an airtight container and refrigerate overnight. Serve chilled. Mushrooms can be refrigerated for up to 1 week.