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W e d n e s d ay, J u n e 25, 2025
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Mushrooms a worthy stand-in for meat BY BETH DOOLEY
The Minnesota Star Tribune (TNS) Spring is a season of surprises. Suddenly the asparagus appear, next it’s delicate peas, tender lettuces and fistfuls of fresh herbs. Week after week, the farmers markets offer increasing bounty to tempt and delight. I’ll bring these market staples home to round out a meal: farmstead beef, chicken, pork, lamb and an array of locally grown wild mushrooms — oyster, shiitake, maitake and my favorite, dark brown chestnut mushrooms, with tight, firm caps. Mushrooms are one of the best plant proteins. With their rich, deep umami flavor and dense texture, they make a wonderful alternative to meat. Mushrooms grow miraculously in almost nothing — rotting logs, decaying leaves, sawdust. Neither vegetable, fruit nor animal, they defy culinary categories, and are unappetizingly identified as “gilled fungi.” Mushrooms contain about 2 grams of protein per cup, with nine essential amino acids, making them a “complete protein.” They are packed with vitamins D and B, as well as minerals. Low in calories and carbohydrates, wild mushrooms are now being cultivated and sold locally in our farmers markets, grocery stores and co-ops. A mess of different mushrooms make a delicious larb, the dish of northern Thailand (also sometimes spelled laab, laap, larp or lahb). It’s traditionally made with minced or ground and cooked pork tossed in a punchy lime-soy vinaigrette. Here, a variety of roasted local mushrooms replace pork in a vegan version of larb.
PHOTO BY MONICA BELTON
Simmering summer
Old-timey Tomato Pie and Grandma’s Peach Cobbler are the flavors of the season
J
une in New Orleans is not for the faint of heart — or appetite. The heat settles in early, as thick as a wool blanket. But the people of this city don’t retreat from summer; they lean into it. June is when the city slows its pace just enough to savor what makes this time of year so special: long, golden evenings, neighborhood gatherings and a bounty of summertime food that’s as bold and unforgettable as New Orleans itself. The mornings begin with warm, moist air rising from the Mississippi River and the scent of magnolias riding on the breeze. Streetcars clatter down oak-lined avenues and by midmorning, the sidewalks are shimmering with heat. But just as the sun starts its slow descent, New Orleans comes alive with the rituals of summer.
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Roast Mushroom Larb
Serves 4 to 6. Recipe is from Beth Dooley. This dish, ready in minutes, relies on the wild mushroom varieties you’ll find in farmers markets, co-ops and grocery stores. If they’re packaged in plastic when you buy them, be sure to remove and transfer mushrooms to a paper bag, then store in the refrigerator for no more than a few days. Wrap the larb in lettuce leaves and serve with a side of herbed rice. 2 pounds mixed mushrooms (oyster, shiitake, maitake, chestnut, cremini, button), trimmed and cut into ½-inch pieces ¼ cup vegetable oil Coarse salt 2 to 3 tablespoons lime juice 1 tablespoon honey 2 tablespoons soy sauce 1 clove garlic, minced Generous pinch red-pepper flakes, to taste ¼ cup sliced scallions ¼ cup sliced snap peas, plus more for garnish ½ cup coarsely chopped mint leaves ½ cup coarsely chopped basil ¼ cup finely chopped unsalted toasted peanuts Lettuce leaves, for wrapping Steamed rice, optional for serving Chopped fresh parsley, for garnish
1. Preheat oven to 425 F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. 2. Spread the mushrooms out
ä See MUSHROOM, page 2G
Old-timey Tomato Pie Makes 6 servings.
Kevin Belton June brings a harvest of fresh fruit and vegetables. Farmers markets burst with Creole tomatoes, cucumbers, bell peppers, watermelon and peaches. These ingredients lend themselves to bright, simple meals — salads with fresh herbs, pickled vegetables or grilled produce drizzled with olive oil and sea salt. Tomato pies and fresh peach cobbler are just two of the treasures that define a New Orleans summer table. In New Orleans, June isn’t just a month, it’s a mood. It’s the
ä See GRANDMA, page 2G
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5 Roma tomatoes, peeled and sliced 10 fresh basil leaves, chopped ½ cup green onion, chopped 1 9-inch pre-baked pie crust 1 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1 cup shredded cheddar cheese ¾ cup mayonnaise (or half mayo, half Greek yogurt) 2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
1. Preheat oven to 350 F. 2. Place the tomatoes in a colander in the sink in a single layer. Sprinkle with salt and allow them to rest for 10 minutes. 3. Use a paper towel to pat-dry the tomatoes and make sure most of the excess juice is out. Wet tomatoes will make your pie soggy. 4. Layer the tomato slices, basil, and onion in prebaked pie shell. Season with salt and pepper. 5. Combine the grated cheeses and mayonnaise or Greek yogurt together. 6. Spread mixture on top of the tomatoes and sprinkle Parmesan cheese on top. 7. Bake for 30 minutes or until lightly browned. Allow to rest for at least 15 minutes before cutting and serving.
Sausage, broccoli rabe sub riffs on Philly classic Philly-style Sausage and Broccoli Rabe Subs, RECIPE 2D PITTSBURGH POST-GAZETTE PHOTO BY GRETCHEN McKAY
BY GRETCHEN McKAY
Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS) Philadelphia is famous for its cheesesteak sandwiches. Yet, if you’ve ever been to the city’s Reading Terminal Market on Arch Street in Center City, you’ve probably also seen the long lines in front of Tommy DiNic’s. (If you know, you know.) The star of this iconic sandwich counter, which has been drawing crowds since it opened in 1977, is
a succulent, slow-roasted Italian roast pork sandwich topped with sharp provolone and drippy, garlicky braised broccoli rabe (also known as rapini). It’s a decidedly messy nosh as the ingredients can, and probably will, spill out as you eat it. This sub recipe (Or should we say hoagie?) from America’s Test Kitchen is a riff on that storied sandwich served on a
ä See CLASSIC, page 2G