Marinated Mushrooms

Pretty much everyone we know likes to start off the new year making small changes to reflect a healthy difference in their lifestyle. While I’m sure that we won’t totally cut out wine and a small nosh, especially on weekends, at least it can be a bit lighter. These marinated mushrooms certainly fit the bill.

Who needs cheese and crackers when these plump mushrooms, gently simmered in vinaigrette, are on the cocktail table? I decided to opt for criminis instead of the classic white button mushrooms. I threw out the mashed, cooked egg yolk in the original recipe from the Colorado Cache Cookbook, one of those terrific junior-league recipe collections from the 1970’s, and added fresh thyme from the garden and used a good quality virgin olive oil.

Serve a plate of these beauties the next time you are enjoying an apéritif with friends and watch them disappear.

Yields 2 dozen

• 8 oz. bite-sized crimini mushrooms, about 24, cleaned and stems trimmed
• 1/3 cup malt vinegar
• 1/2 cup extra virgin olive oil
• kosher salt and white ground pepper
• 2 tablespoons flat-leaved parsley, chopped
• 1/2 teaspoon fresh thyme leaves
• 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard
• 1 tablespoon organic brown sugar

1. Using a medium-sized skillet, combine the vinegar, oil, salt and pepper, parsley, thyme, mustard and brown sugar. Bring to a boil while stirring.

2. Add the mushrooms, reduce heat to medium and cook for 5 minutes.

3. Cool, then refrigerate, allowing mushrooms to marinate in vinaigrette for at least 4 hours.

4. Serve, using small cocktail skewers or sturdy toothpicks. Garnish with thyme and/or chopped parsley. The vinaigrette makes a nice dipping sauce.