By Chef Linda
If you take nothing else away from this blog, take this recipe. I learned this one in culinary school at the Natural Gourmet Institute and it totally rocked my world. Shiitake "bacon" is a term used to demonstrate the truly smoky, salty, greasy, decadent taste that some people associate with bacon. After you try this, you'll realize that there are other ways to get familiar tastes you may have grown accustomed to that don't involve cruelty to animals.
Shiitake mushrooms are generally sold in most grocery stores. Sometimes you find them loose and often, you find them sold in packages. They work best because the cap is very thin, not meaty, like many varieties of mushrooms. Shiitake are also wonderfully supportive for your immune system so here's a bacon you can feel good about eating.
These crisps have endless uses; on salad, in wraps, on BLTs, sprinkled on soups and stews, on tofu scramble, on mac & cheese, as a snack, or the way we like them best around the farm at Catskill Animal Sanctuary…right off the cookie sheet.
Try not to cut back on the oil or salt...you won't end up with the right texture or taste, even though they'll still taste good. Make these for family and friends and trust me, they will be amazed and how delicious, simple and cruelty-free this bacon is.
Ingredients
8 ounces of shiitake mushrooms
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoons of coarse salt
Directions
1Preheat oven to 375ºF and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Remove stems from mushrooms and set aside. (These can be used to make an immunity-boosting broth by simmering them in water with a couple of cloves of garlic for about 15 minutes.) Slice caps into thin strips, the thinner you cut them the crispier they’ll be.
Toss in a bowl with olive oil and salt. Mix with a wooden spoon or clean hands to ensure oil and salt are evenly distributed.
Lay mushrooms in a single layer on lined baking tray. Roast for about 15 to 20 minutes until they almost look burnt. Remove them from the oven and let cool. They will crisp up. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
Shiitake “Bacon” Crisps
DifficultySuper EasyCook Time20 mins
YIELDS
About a cup
INGREDIENTS
8 ounces of shiitake mushrooms
¼ cup olive oil
1 teaspoons of coarse salt
DIRECTIONS
1Preheat oven to 375ºF and line a baking tray with parchment paper. Remove stems from mushrooms and set aside. (These can be used to make an immunity-boosting broth by simmering them in water with a couple of cloves of garlic for about 15 minutes.) Slice caps into thin strips, the thinner you cut them the crispier they’ll be.
Toss in a bowl with olive oil and salt. Mix with a wooden spoon or clean hands to ensure oil and salt are evenly distributed.
Lay mushrooms in a single layer on lined baking tray. Roast for about 15 to 20 minutes until they almost look burnt. Remove them from the oven and let cool. They will crisp up. Taste and add more salt if necessary.
