Shiitake Bacon
This recipe is a secret weapon. It’s fairy dust that will transform a lackluster dish into a shining star. If you think that you don’t like mushrooms that means that you haven’t had them prepared like this. Does it really taste like bacon? Well, yes and no. Yes, in that it has the crunch, the saltiness, the fattiness and, most importantly, the savoriness of bacon. No, in that you likely won’t fool anyone in a side by side comparison. But you might if it is tucked into a dish…
Feel free to experiment with other kinds of mushrooms. Although I find that shiitakes are the variety that are most reminiscent of bacon, oyster mushrooms, king trumpets, maitakes and even criminis blossom with this treatment. Use to garnish soups, to add crunch to salads or just to snack on.
INGREDIENTS
6 oz (170g) shiitakes, de-stemmed and sliced into 1/4” thick slices
1 Tbsp olive oil
1 tsp salt
DIRECTIONS
Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
In a medium bowl add mushrooms, olive oil and salt. Stir and transfer to a parchment lined baking sheet.
Place in the oven and cook for about 35 minutes, until shiitakes are greatly reduced in size, browned and smell fragrant. Flip at least once halfway through cooking. Set aside to cool.
Serves 4-6