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See the light: Healthy salad gets a boost from grilled shiitake mushrooms

By Mario Batali, Tribune Content Agency on

Weekends are beloved because of the hearty meal at the table's centerpiece. After a robust spring supper, I like to plan on a light, meatless meal for the following night (or two) such as shiitake salad with arugula.

The following recipe is a riff on the most luxurious salad, Insalata di Porcini, found in my cookbook "Molto Italiano" (Ecco, 2005). The original recipe uses a classic Italian mushroom popular in the hills of Emilia-Romagna and truly represents the excellent relationship between the forager and the cook. This version uses easy-to-find shiitakes but still delivers the same outstanding flavor. Lucky for us, we can buy this mushroom at most grocery stores and markets year-round.

Since this salad requires few ingredients that aren't already pantry staples, I encourage you to really take your time while shopping. Revel in the farmers' market for the greenest arugula and make a quick visit to your cheese monger to find the absolute best Parmigiano-Reggiano available.

The key to making the shiitakes sing is to place them directly on the grill without oil. They'll develop a rich char, and it adds an elegant depth of flavor to this simple dish. Just before serving, drizzle with a nice olive oil (Capezzana is my favorite this year; they change like wine every harvest) and a sprinkle of coarse sea salt. One bite of this dish and you'll see why the Batali family welcomes a light salad on any weeknight.

Shiitake Salad with Arugula

Serves 4

 

1/2 pound fresh shiitake mushrooms

2 bunches arugula, washed and spun dry (about 3 loose cups)

1/2 cup extra-virgin olive oil

Grated zest and juice of 1 lemon

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