Pork and Enoki Mushroom Lettuce Wraps and Spring Onion Pancakes

A perfect meal began, innocently enough, with two darling heads of Boston red-leaf lettuce. I couldn’t resist them, their beauty. The recipe for the “Pork and Enoki Mushroom Lettuce Wraps,” from droolfactor. wordpress.com, also includes minced meat and those incredible enoki mushrooms that my seven-year-old adores. But was I asking my youngster too much, to pick up quaint lettuce packages, taco-style, for dinner? Would I be dismissed, laughed at? Triumphantly, no! In fact, I couldn’t assemble these quickly enough, as they were gobbled with speedy enthusiasm…

 

Potato, Cheese and Mushroom Pie and Escarole Salad with Provolone, Warm White Beans and Prosciutto Crisps

The “Potato, Cheese and Mushroom Pie,” from thedailyspud.com, is an ambitious recipe that showcases the best qualities of puff pastry, mushrooms, and potatoes. The pie is rich and the potato texture is perfect; the fresh mushrooms are delightful and the dried chanterelles are intense. With a moderate amount of discipline, you can assemble and enjoy this wonderful pie.

 

Sweet and Sour Pork and Green Bean and Mushroom Casserole

Recipes for battered/deep-fried temptations can only be ignored for so long, before I succumb to the tease — pouring inches of oil into a big pot, veering off a healthy-food path into a darker reality. And thankfully, the “Sweet and Sour Pork,” from thekitchn.com, was worth all the risks. It gave me perfect proportions of sweet and tang, along with a great sweet-and-sour sauce. How’s your willpower?

 

Lemongrass and Honey Pork Stir-Fry and Farro with Broccoli

The “Lemongrass and Honey Pork Stir-Fry,” from pigpigscorner.com, was a pungently tangy and tart dish, thanks to the inclusion of lemongrass and lime and fish sauce in the very wet marinade. Honey and lemon scents were potent as the pork sizzled in the frying pan.

 

Duck Ragu and Classic Stuffed Mushrooms

In tune with the continuing romance of “slow-cooked” meals, the October/November 2011 issue of Fine Cooking made the convincing appeal for a “Duck Ragu.” Red wine, tomatoes, aromatics, duck legs and thighs are simmered for a long time, until rich and sweet. It’s like a dream, really.

 

Steamed Chicken with Shiitake Mushrooms & Tofu

The minimalist recipe for “Steamed Chicken with Shiitake Mushrooms & Tofu,” from pigpigscorner.com, became a steaming experiment, for me. I don’t know if I’ve ever dared to “steam” meat, but here it was. And steaming the chicken atop tofu seemed so cute. My steaming pot smelled great as it simmered.

 

Pork and Mushroom Stew

Admittedly, I’m a bit jazzed by pork tenderloin, lately. It’s a boneless strip of meat — so, nonintimidating — easy to cook, and quite tasty. It takes to marinating, grilling, roasting, sauteeing — you get the idea. And so it was, I tried the “Pork & Mushroom Stew,” from cuisinerecipes.com. The mushrooms turned out to be the underdog winners here.

 

Classic Clams Casino, Fricassee of Chanterelles, and Zucchini and Spinach Gratin

I’ve had a good record with clams — I’ve made a wonderful chowder, fantastic steamed clams (and here), and clam sauce. My family is crazy about clams, so it made sense for me to finally tackle the “Classic Clams Casino,” from the October / November 2011 issue of Fine Cooking. Was it too-precious a recipe? Perhaps…but so delicious, though.

 

Salad of Morels, Fiddleheads, Ramps, and Farro and Spinach, Tomato and Cheese Tart

I do respect Hank Shaw‘s foraging skills, his synchronization with the nature that surrounds him, there in Northern California. I saw his recipe for a “Salad of Morels, Fiddleheads, Ramps, and Farro,” at the exact moment that fresh fiddlehead ferns were available in my food coop. Fresh morels, I’m afraid, were out of my reach. But I did find marvelous dried morels, which I reconstituted in boiling water and let sit for a few minutes until they puffed up beautifully. This is a fantastic salad, featuring a great textural combination.

 

Chicken Rollatini with Prosciutto and Cheese and Garlic Butter Roasted Mushrooms

The preciousness of “rollatini” is typically something I’ll overlook: I don’t want to pound out chicken cutlets; I don’t want to fasten my food with toothpicks. But what do you know? The recipe for “Chicken Rollatini with Prosciutto and Cheese,” from skinnytaste.com, was fabulous. Dave raved and no toothpicks were required!