Mushroom Omelet

A good healthy breakfast is easy to prepare, and what could be than to start with an omelet? From Dropping Acid – The Reflux Diet by Jaimie Koufman, M.D. & Jordan Stern, M.D. with French Master Chef Marc Bauer:

(Recipe and photo on page 81)

Serves  2

Ingredients

• 4 eggs
• 3 domestic mushrooms, about the size of a silver dollar (washed dried, cut in half to form 2 half spheres, then placed flat side down and sliced thin
• 4 sprigs parsley (washed dried, stems removed, chopped fine)
• 2 tbsp water or non-fat sour cream
• 2 tbsp butter
• salt to taste

(Notes: * You can use any variety of mushrooms, I love the flavor of shitake musrooms, but remember to remove their tough stems.
* Mushrooms cook best in a large pan and spread in a single layer, if the mushrooms are overcrowded, the water they yield will make them boil instead of sauté)

Directions

1. Whisk the eggs with a fork.
2. Add the water or non-fat sour cream, parsley, and salt.
3. Preheat an 8 inch non-stick pan on medium heat.
4. Spray the pan with non-stick spray. Add the mushrooms to the pan and spread evenly. When they are golden brown on one side, season with salt, flip and cook the other side until tender. Reserve the mushrooms on paper to absorb excess moisture and oil.
5. Wipe the pan clean with a paper towel and preheat on medium heat.
6. Add most of the butter(save a bitif you need for a second omelet) and cook until it froths and turns slightly brown.
7. Immediately add half the egg mixture. (Repeat directions for the second omelet).
8. Let the eggs coagulate for a few seconds. Remove from heat while stirring with a wooden spoon or high-heat rubber spatula.
9. Return to the heatand bang the pan gently on the stove to remove air bubbles. Lower the temperature.
10. When the mixture is almost set(it should not have any color), slide the omelet to the edge of the pan. Place almost half the reserved mushrooms on the center of the omelet.
11. Fold one third of the omelet in the middle with a non-stick spatula.
12. Fold the other third slightly overlappingthe middle and carefully lift onto a plate.
13. You can brush the top with a little melted butter (optional)
14. Sprinkle with some of the mushrooms and serve toast on the side.

Repeat for second omelet.

If you prefer a parve omelet, you can use margarine instead of butter, and parve sour cream instead of the dairy one.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!

CS

Mushrooms à la Grecque

Growing up I intensely disliked mushrooms but, like so many other things that changed, as I grew up, as my palate got more sophisticated, I learned to love them! So… what are mushrooms? They are…

…the fruiting bodies of soil-borne fungi that live from nutrients they take from plants living and dead. They flourish throughout the world’s temperate zones and add varying of earthiness and savory flavor to foods. Their flavor character and intensity depend almost entirely on the type of mushroom they are, rather than whether they are cultivated, what color they are, or their size.

(The Illustrated Cook’s Book of Ingredients – Page 270)

And… they are delicious, healthy and a great addition to salads, soups and more. Last evening I was not in the mood of long preparations, so… what better than this classic dish?

Serves 1

Ingredients

• 1/2 cup olive oil
• 2 large onions, sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 1 lb 3 oz crimini or button mushrooms, halved
• 8 plum tomatoes, roughly chopped
• 3 1/2 oz pitted black olives
• 2 tbsp white wine vinegar
• salt and pepper
• chopped parsley, to garnish

Directions

1. Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large frying pan, add the onions and garlic, and cook until soft and starting to brown. Add the mushrooms and tomatoes and cook, stirring gently, for about 5 minutes. Remove from heat.
2. transfer the mushroom mixture to a serving dish and garnish with the olives.
3. In a small bowl, whisk the remaining oil into the vinegar, season to taste with salt and pepper and drizzle over the salad, Garnish with the copped parsley, cover and let it stand at room temperature for 30 minutes to allow the flavors to mingle before serving.

Enjoy, gentle reader, enjoy!!!

CS