The Mushroom Special

Today's lunch was very simple: pan-seared mushrooms with an egg yolk. A nod to how the Basque and Catalan cook mushrooms. Happy mushroom eating and holidays from the Gohar family.

INGREDIENTS

1/2 lb wild mushrooms. If large, slice into thick pieces or in half (typically king mushrooms are used, but Yukimi bought chestnut mushrooms from the market that morning so that's what we had)

3 cloves garlic, minced 1/4 bunch, minced

1 egg yolk

Olive oil

Salt

Pepper

RECIPE

Gather a large frying pan. Heat a little olive oil in the pan on medium/high heat. Once it's hot, drop the mushrooms in. The single most important thing about cooking mushrooms is not to crowd the pan. You are trying to sear, not steam the mushrooms. Mushrooms release a ton of water and if you crowd the water content will steam them. If your pan isn't big enough, do it in batches. Cook on high heat for 2-3 minutes. The mushrooms should be browning. Add the garlic and parsley and cook for another 30 seconds. Add Maldon salt (don't salt before until this point as salt releases liquid). Toss.

Plate the mushrooms. Add the egg yolk (no white) right in the middle of the mushroom. Add a little more salt directly on top of the egg yolk. Finish with pepper. Swirl the egg yolk into the mushrooms.