Name: Roasted Mushrooms with Harissa and Mint
Total time: 1 h 15 min
Ingredients: Salt and pepper; 1 1/2 pounds cremini mushrooms , trimmed and left whole if small, halved if medium, or quartered if large; 1 pound shiitake mushrooms , stemmed, caps larger than 3 inches halved; 3 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil; 1 garlic clove , minced to paste; 2 teaspoons harissa; 2 teaspoons lemon juice; 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin; 2 tablespoons chopped fresh mint

Why This Recipe Works

For a rich, woodsy side dish, we combine straightforward cremini with meaty, smoky shiitakes. To ensure that the mushrooms are evenly seasoned and stay moist during roasting, we start by brining them in a saltwater solution. We then roast them in the oven for about an hour until they are deeply browned. Finally, we coat the mushrooms with garlic, harissa, lemon juice, cumin, and olive oil before adding chopped fresh mint.

Before You Begin

Cremini mushrooms, also called Baby Bella, vary in diameter. Quarter large (more than 2 inches) mushrooms, halve medium (1 to 2 inches) ones, and leave small (smaller than 1 inch) ones whole. Harissa, a chile paste, can be found in the international aisle of your supermarket, usually with North African or Middle Eastern ingredients.

Instructions

Adjust oven rack to lowest position and heat oven to 450 degrees. Dissolve 5 teaspoons salt in 2 quarts room-temperature water in large container. Add cremini mushrooms and shiitake mushrooms to brine, cover with plate or bowl to submerge, and let stand for 10 minutes.

Drain mushrooms in colander and pat dry with paper towels. Spread mushrooms evenly on rimmed baking sheet, drizzle with 2 tablespoons oil, and toss to coat. Roast until liquid from mushrooms has completely evaporated, 35 to 45 minutes.

Remove sheet from oven (be careful of escaping steam when opening oven) and, using thin metal spatula, carefully stir mushrooms. Return to oven and continue to roast until mushrooms are deeply browned, 5 to 10 minutes longer.

Whisk garlic, harissa, lemon juice, cumin, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and remaining 1 tablespoon oil together in large bowl. Add mushrooms and mint and toss to coat. Season with salt and pepper to taste; serve immediately.