This will be some shroomy time! If you are a mushroom lover then this is the event for you. The first annualfestival will be held in Lacey, Washington at the Nisqually Middle School on Saturday and Sunday June 28th & 29th from 10am – 6 pm. Join Puget Sound Micrological Society President and fantastic mushroom chef Patrice Benson and me on Saturday at 2:30 for a super yummy cooking demo. I will be whipping up some easy summer mushroom salads. In addition to all the foodie fun, there will be live music, children’s activities and lots more chef cooking demos! I hope to see you there! For more info visit http://www.mushroomfest.org

Kathy Casey’s Easy Summer Mushroom Salads

Simple Tuscan Shaved Veggie Salad with Lemon & Olive Oil

This is one of my favorite salads! I first had this style of salad in Tuscany. So delicious drizzled with fabulous olive oil and a grating of parmesan, the salad is perfect when quickly tossed and served with thick slices of grilled rustic bread and a juicy steak or fresh fish straight from the bbq.

For best results you will need to use a Japanese mandoline to slice the ingredients paper thin. This handy tool is great to have around the kitchen and it is worth the investment.

Makes 6 servings

1 bunch radishes, trimmed
1 fennel bulb, trimmed
1 pound large, firm button or crimini mushrooms
2 large heads Belgian endive
2 teaspoons very finely minced lemon zest
3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 cup very high-quality extra-virgin olive oil
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt or 3/4 teaspoon Dish D’Lish French Seasoning Salt
2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh chives
Freshly ground black pepper
Parmigiano-Reggiano or other grating cheese

With a Japanese mandoline or a very sharp knife, cut the radishes and fennel into paper-thin slices. Submerge the slices in ice water for at least 30 minutes or up to 4 hours.

Meanwhile, cut the mushrooms into paper-thin slices. With a sharp knife, cut the Belgian endive into 1/8-inch-thick slices, being sure not to get the core. Refrigerate the endive and mushrooms separately until ready to serve.

When ready to serve, whisk the lemon zest and juice, oil, and salt in a large bowl. Drain the radishes and fennel, then spin dry in a salad spinner. Toss the shaved and sliced ingredients in the dressing. Sprinkle with the chives, season with pepper to taste, and toss to combine. Taste and adjust the seasoning and tartness with a touch more salt, pepper, and/or lemon juice if needed. Divide the salad onto 6 chilled plates and shave some of the cheese over each salad. (Grate the cheese very finely with a Microplane grater, or use a potato peeler to make long, thin shavings.) Serve immediately.

Chef’s Note: For a refreshing variation, you can also toss in a sprinkle of finely chopped fresh mint.

Copyright © 2008 by Kathy Casey. Recipe adapted from Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table, Chronicle Books, San Francisco.

Dish D’LishSesame Noodle Salad with Shiitake Mushrooms

This is one of our most popular salads at my Ballard Dish D’Lish Café. For this variation I have added sautéed shiitake mushrooms. It is super-simple to make and is a great salad to take to a pot-luck or picnic.

Makes about 6 cups

Mushrooms
2 tablespoons canola oil
1 tablespoon sesame oil
4 cups thinly sliced shiitake mushrooms, de-stemmed
Sprinkle of kosher salt

Dressing
2 tablespoons Asian-style toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons white sesame seeds, untoasted
1/4 cup soy sauce
3 tablespoons unseasoned rice wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons very finely minced fresh ginger
1 – 1 1/2 teaspoons sambal oelek or other Asian chili paste

Noodles
1/2 pound (8 ounces) DRY thin spaghetti pasta

Garnish
2 tablespoons chopped cilantro
3/4 cup thinly bias-cut green onion
1 teaspoon black sesame seeds, toasted

To cook the mushrooms: Heat oils in a very large non-stick skillet over high heat till hot. Add the mushrooms and cook till tender, stirring often, about 4–6 minutes. Season with salt. Set aside.

To make the dressing: Heat the sesame oil in a small skillet or sautépan over medium heat. When the oil is hot, add the white sesame seeds and toast until lightly golden. Once golden, add to a large bowl with the remaining dressing ingredients and set aside.

To cook pasta: Bring 3 quarts of water to a boil. Lightly oil and salt the water. With the water at a full rolling boil, stir in pasta. Continue stirring until pasta water is fully boiling again.

Start checking noodles when halfway through the cooking time given on package. Cook noodles only until al dente. Do not overcook.

Immediately drain well (be sure there is no water left in pasta) and immediately add to dressing bowl along with the cooked shiitake mushrooms and toss together well. Let cool, then add the garnish and toss again. Refrigerate until ready to serve. You can make this salad up to 2 days before serving. Let come to room temperature before serving.

©2008 by Kathy Casey Dish D’Lish®

MENU
Orange, Endive, Watercress and Walnut Salad with Chevre Crostini
Grilled Salmon with Herbed Sweet Onions
“Green” Rice Prima Vera with Asparagus, Peas & Pods
Roasted Rhubarb Honey Mousse

Suggested wine with dinner: Chinook Sauvignon Blanc
Do ahead’s: Up to 2 days in advance—for the salad make the dressing and toast the walnuts, for the dessert pre-roast the rhubarb.

My menu for a D’licious Mother’s Day dinner is totally Northwest and celebrates our local and regional products to the max! The menu serves 6 – but can always be doubled for a bigger crowd.

We start with a fresh and bright salad of sweet, colorful oranges, vibrant watercress, and slightly bitter Belgian endive—tossed with a tangy tarragon dressing and a scatter of toasted walnuts. (Okay, the oranges aren’t from here!) Serve the salad with baguette slices spread with creamy Chevre goat cheese –These are served hot from the oven—the perfect creamy-crunchy foil to the salad.

Then it’s on to salmon. Make sure it’s Pacific – and wild—not farm raised—as there is absolutely no comparison in flavor. The fish is simply seasoned, then grilled – or if the weather totally prohibits grilling, you could broil or sauté the salmon – hot and quick.

Top the salmon with herb-marinated slices of sweet onions. This is soooo pretty—the pink salmon peeks through the rings of green-flecked white onion slices. And it’s easy easy easy.

Mutual Fish, one of my long time favorite fish stores has Fresh Wild Troll-Caught King Salmon from Alaska for this weekend – but be sure to call to be sure they still have some before making the trip. Mutual Fish (206) 322-4368 location: 2335 Rainier Avenue S. Seattle

“Green” Rice Prima Vera with Asparagus, Peas & Pods is the perfect accompaniment to the salmon. Fragrant basmati rice is baked then you fold in asparagus, English peas and pea pods.

To top it all off, there’s a dessert inspired by my grandmother—who every spring and early summer had a pan of tart-and-sweet rhubarb stewing. For Roasted Rhubarb Honey Mousse, sliced rhubarb is tossed with sugar and then slow-roasted to a syrupy goodness. Then it’s chilled and folded with honey-sweetened whipped cream. It is heavenly and Mom will sure to be impressed!

Orange, Endive, Watercress and Walnut Salad with Chevre Crostini
Makes 4 servings

3 large oranges
3/4 cup finely julienned red onion (if onions are strong in flavor, soak in ice water for 10 minutes then drain well)
1 large head Belgian endive
1 -2 bunch watercress, (depending upon size) leaves and tender sprigs picked from coarse stems – (or substitute 3 cups mixed salad greens)
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped, then toasted
salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dressing
4 tablespoons regular or low-fat mayonnaise
4 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 1/2 tablespoon honey
5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

Chevre Crostini
12 1/4-inch-thick slices baguette
6 ounces Chevre-style soft goat cheese

Cut rind and all white pith from oranges, cut in half lengthwise, then slice into 1/4-inch-thick half-moons. Rinse onion julienne in cold water, and drain thoroughly. Split endive in half lengthwise, remove core, and slice endive lengthwise into strips.

Place orange slices, onion, greens and walnuts together in a large bowl. Set aside.

In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar, and honey. Gradually whisk in oil, emulsifying dressing. Whisk in tarragon. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Meanwhile, spread baguette slices with Chevre. Place on a baking sheet and toast in oven for about 6 to 8 minutes, or until bread is crispy. Keep warm.

Add dressing to salad ingredients and toss to coat evenly. Add salt and pepper to taste, and toss again. Divide salad among 6 plates and serve with the Chevre Crostini.
©2008 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®

Grilled Salmon with Herbed Sweet Onions
Makes 6 servings

Onions
1 large Walla Walla Sweet or other sweet onion, cut in 1/2-inch rings
1/4 cup white wine vinegar
3 tablespoons sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
1/4 teaspoon red chili flakes
2 tablespoons olive oil
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh basil or cilantro
1 tablespoon coarsely chopped fresh tarragon
1 tablespoon 1/2-inch pieces fresh chives
2 tablespoons coarsely chopped fresh Italian parsley
…………………
2 tablespoons olive oil
6 fresh salmon fillet portions, skinless (about 1 1/2 pounds)
Dish D’Lish French Seasoning Salt (available at www.kathycasey.com or in the Northwest; Metropolitan Markets)
   or Kosher salt and pepper
lots of fresh herb sprigs for garnish

To make the onions: Carefully separate the onion rings and place in zip-style plastic bag. In a small bowl, whisk together vinegar, sugar, salt, chili flakes and oil. Pour marinade over onions, and close the bag, expelling excess air. Turn bag to coat onions evenly, then refrigerate. Marinate rings, refrigerated, at least 30 minutes, or up to 4 hours, turning bag occasionally. Just before serving, place onions and marinade into a large bowl, and gently toss with the chopped herbs.

To grill salmon and serve: Heat your grill to hot. Meanwhile, place the olive oil on a large dinner plate; swipe each side of the salmon fillets through the oil, then season well with Dish D’Lish French Seasoning Salt or salt and pepper. Place on hot grill, and cook—creating crisscross marks on each side of the salmon. Cook fish till desired doneness. Different-sized salmon fillets will cook differently—just use good judgment and try not to overcook your salmon.

Place grilled salmon on plates and divide onions evenly among them, piling high and spooning marinade over. Garnish plates with fresh herb sprigs if desired, and serve immediately.

Note: For a summer buffet table, grill a whole side of salmon and serve on a large platter, festooned with the herbed onions and fresh herb sprigs.
Recipe from Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table, Chronicle Books, San Francisco.
Copyright © 2006 by Kathy Casey.

“Green” Rice Prima Vera with Asparagus, Peas & Pods
Makes 6 servings

1 cup basmati rice, rinsed and drained well
1 1/2 cups water
1/2 cup chopped parsley
3 tablespoons butter
3/4 cup 1/4-inch-diced onion
1 1/2 teaspoons minced garlic
1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice
1 1/2 teaspoons minced lemon zest
2 tablespoons cream
1 1/4 teaspoons salt
————————–
1 tablespoon olive oil
3/4 cup snap or snow peas, trimmed, stringed, and sliced on the diagonal
3/4 cup slant cut asparagus
1/2 cup frozen peas, partially defrosted, or shelled fresh peas
salt & pepper, to taste
2 tablespoons thinly sliced chives
fresh pea vines for garnish, optional

Preheat oven to 375 degrees F. Place the very well-drained rice in a 1 1/2-quart baking dish. Set aside.

Combine water and chopped parsley in a blender and blend to cut parsley very fine. Reserve.

Melt butter in a non-stick or heavy saucepan. Add onion and sauté over medium heat until soft, about 2 minutes. Add garlic and cook for about 30 seconds. Add water-parsley mixture, being sure to scrape the parsley into the pan. Add lemon juice, zest, cream and salt, and bring to a boil.  Stir the mixture into the rice, being sure to scrape up and include all the goodies. Seal tightly with foil and bake for about 20 to 25 minutes, or until the rice is tender and all the liquid is absorbed. When rice is done, fluff with a fork, and keep warm while finishing the vegetables.

During the last few minutes before rice is done, heat oil in a skillet over medium to medium-high heat. Add pea pods and asparagus, and sauté about 1 1/2 minutes. Add shelled peas, and sauté about 30 seconds more – or until just tender. Season vegetables to taste with salt and pepper, and fold vegetables and chives into rice before serving. Garnish with fresh pea vines if desired.
Recipe from Kathy Casey’s Northwest Table, Chronicle Books, San Francisco. Copyright © 2006 by Kathy Casey.

Roasted Rhubarb Honey Mousse
Makes 6 servings

1 pound rhubarb, trimmed and cut in 1-inch pieces (4 cups)
1 cup sugar
…………………………………………………
3 ounces cream cheese
5 tablespoons honey
1 1/2 cups whipping cream

Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

Toss together rhubarb and sugar and place in a 9- x 13-inch glass baking pan. Roast, uncovered, in preheated oven for 45 minutes, until rhubarb is soft and syrup is slightly caramelized. Stir thoroughly and carefully after the first 20 minutes.

Refrigerate overnight, or for at least 4 hours, until completely cooled.

Whip cream cheese with 4 tablespoons (1/4 cup) of the honey in a mixer until very fluffy. Transfer to a large bowl and fold in chilled rhubarb mixture. Whip the cream with remaining tablespoon honey until firmly peaked. Stir about 1/3 of the whipped cream into the rhubarb-cream cheese mixture to lighten it, then fold in the remaining whipped cream.

Dish up into 6, pretty glasses. Refrigerate until ready to serve, then top with a little plain whipped cream if desired and an edible, spring flower, such as a pansy.

Note: If selecting edible flowers from your yard, be sure they are edible and have not been sprayed with pesticide or other chemicals. Rinse all blossoms thoroughly.
Copyright © 2003, Kathy Casey Food Studios®

Listen to me, Kathy Casey every Thursday at 4:15 on KOMO.

A great salad is my favorite way to start off a meal. Years ago when organic was off the beaten path I was featured in the frontrunner magazine Organic Gardening in an article with chef Thomas Keller. It was an article on beets – called Beatnik Chefs! My recipe was for a watercress, roasted beet and orange salad.

I love the fluffy watercress that is available in markets these days as it has a lighter flavor than the standard peppery coarser version. The following recipe has no beets in it – but would be excellent with some roasted orbs added.

So start off your next meal with a  fresh and bright salad of sweet, colorful oranges, vibrant watercress and slightly bitter Belgian endive tossed with a quick and easy creamy tarragon dressing and a scatter of toasted walnuts. Serve it up with chèvre cheese-spread baguette slices hot from the oven — the perfect creamy-crunchy foil to the salad.

Orange, Endive, Watercress and Walnut Salad with Chèvre Crostini
Makes 4 servings

2 large oranges
3/4 cup finely julienned red onion
1 large head Belgian endive
1 bunch watercress, leaves and tender sprigs picked from coarse stems
1/2 cup walnuts, coarsely chopped, then toasted
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Dressing:
3 tablespoons regular or low-fat mayonnaise
3 tablespoons white wine vinegar
1 tablespoon honey
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
 2 tablespoons chopped fresh tarragon

Chèvre Crostini:
8 (¼-inch-thick) slices baguette
3 ounces chèvre-style soft goat cheese

Cut rind and all white pith from oranges, cut in half lengthwise, then slice into ¼-inch-thick half-moons. Rinse onion julienne in cold water, and drain thoroughly. Split endive in half lengthwise, remove core, and slice endive lengthwise into strips.

 Place orange slices, onion, endive, watercress and walnuts together in a large bowl. Set aside.
 In a separate bowl, whisk together mayonnaise, vinegar and honey. Gradually whisk in oil, emulsifying dressing. Whisk in tarragon. Set aside.

Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Meanwhile, spread baguette slices with chèvre, about 2 teaspoons per slice. Place on a baking sheet and toast in oven for about 6 to 8 minutes or until bread is crispy. Keep warm.

Add dressing to salad ingredients and toss to coat evenly. Add salt and pepper to taste, and toss again. Divide salad among 4 plates and serve with the Chèvre Crostini. ©2005, Kathy Casey
Food Studios®

Whole grains are all the rage now, what with their healthful benefits and high fiber content. And they can be incorporated into both old favorite recipes and new preparations that will add some excitement and goodness to any meal.

How many people have not eaten tabbouleh salad? This easy-to-make salad is a staple at most deli departments for just this reason: all you have to do is cover bulgur with boiling water, let it sit, and then stir in some lemon juice, olive oil, tomatoes and parsley … and you have a great salad.

When I asked my co-worker Trixie Rombouts when she first had it, she exclaimed, “In the ’60s!” Wow, now that was a bit ahead of the times. Both of Trixie’s parents were European, so she was sent off to school with lunch in a “recycled” sack (not the Barbie lunch box she coveted) fitted out with a recycled yogurt cup filled with freshly made tabbouleh salad adorned with fresh mint from their yard, and a hunk of kasseri cheese. Nowadays, that would be the ultimate sustainable, organic lunch, but those days there weren’t many takers at lunchtime trading—no Twinkies for tabbouleh then! When we tested my recipe for Turkish Tabbouleh Salad with Dried Apricots and Pistachios, of course I had to have Trixie be my taster. It passed with an exclamation of, “Wow, this is fantastic!”

Turkish Tabbouleh Salad with Dried Apricots & Pistachios

Makes 8 cups
1 3/4 cups boiling water
2 teaspoons kosher salt (divided)
1 1/2 cups bulgur wheat
6 tablespoons fresh lemon juice
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
3 roma tomatoes, diced 1/2 inch
4 green onions, thinly sliced
3/4 cup coarsely chopped dried apricots
3/4 cup shelled pistachios, lightly toasted
1 can (15 1/2 ounces) garbanzo beans, drained
1/4 cup tiny-diced sweet white onion
1/4 cup chopped fresh mint
1/2 cup coarsely chopped flat leaf parsley
1/2 cup coarsely chopped cilantro
In a medium saucepan over high heat, bring water and 1 teaspoon of the salt to a boil, then immediately stir in the bulgur wheat and remove from the heat. Cover and let sit for 1 hour or until all the water has been soaked up. Uncover and let cool.In a large bowl, mix together remaining 1 teaspoon of salt, lemon juice, black pepper and olive oil. Then add remaining ingredients and cooled bulgur. Mix together well, until all ingredients are coated with dressing.

Recipe ©2007 by Kathy Casey Food Studios®