Two men who cook

Dylan and I are continuing to work our way through his list of things he wants to eat while he's home. Now we can eat all the things various other family members won't want to eat since it's just the two of us for a while. Next up is a side dish of mushrooms on their own (i.e., not on top of pasta). I have two options I like, one on the stovetop and one in a hot oven. Since it's the middle of summer and super hot and humid right now, we went with the stovetop option, which we were both very happy with.

It's funny that Dylan has grown into such a mushroom lover, at about the same age that I did. I didn't like mushrooms as a kid either, but now they're one of my favorite foods, too. There's hope for Cass and Brad yet.

Sautéed Mushrooms with Shallots and Thyme

Adapted from The Cook's Illustrated Cookbook (2011)

1½ pounds cremini or white button mushrooms
1 tablespoon (13 grams) neutral-flavored oil such as sunflower or canola
1 tablespoon (14 grams) unsalted butter
1 medium shallot, minced (~3–4 tablespoons)
1 tablespoon minced fresh thyme leaves
¼ cup (59 grams) dry Marsala (you can substitute Port or dry sherry)
kosher salt
freshly ground black pepper

    1. Wash the mushrooms under cold running water, then dry them as best you can (a salad spinner works well if you have one). Trim the stems, then cut the mushrooms into halves if they're small or quarters if they're large.
    2. Heat the oil in a 12-inch skillet (not nonstick) over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add the mushrooms and cook, stirring occasionally (preferably with a wooden spoon with one flat edge), until the mushrooms release their liquid, about 5 minutes. Continue cooking, stirring occasionally and scraping up any brown bits on the bottom of the pan, until the liquid evaporates, about 7 more minutes. Turn the heat down to medium, add the butter, and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms are dark brown, about 5 more minutes.
    3. Add the shallot and thyme and cook until the shallot is softened but not brown, about 3 minutes. Add the liquor and cook until the liquid evaporates, about 2 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Serve promptly. Serves 4.