See the light: Healthy salad gets a boost from grilled shiitake mushrooms
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
Salt
Freshly ground black pepper
8-ounce chunk of Parmigiano-Reggiano, for shaving
Coarse sea salt
Preheat the grill or broiler.
Carefully cut each mushroom in half. Place on the grill or on a baking sheet under broiler and cook, turning often, until charred and softened, 8 to 10 minutes.
Place the arugula, 1/4 cup of the olive oil, the lemon juice and zest in large mixing bowl. Season to taste with salt and pepper and toss to mix thoroughly. Divide the salad equally among four plates.
Remove the hot mushroom caps from the grill or broiler and place over the center of each salad. Using a vegetable peeler, shave Parmigiano onto each salad, right around the mushroom cap. Spoon 1 tablespoon of remaining olive oil over each salad, sprinkle with coarse sea salt, and serve immediately.
(Mario Batali is the chef behind 25 restaurants, including Eataly, Del Posto and his flagship Greenwich Village enoteca, Babbo.)
