Name: Roasted Mushrooms with Sesame and Scallions
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; 2 tablespoons vegetable oil; 2 teaspoons toasted sesame oil; 1/2 teaspoon rice vinegar; 2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds; 2 scallions , sliced thin

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 in sesame oil and rice vinegar before adding flavorful mix-ins: sesame seeds and scallions.

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.

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 vegetable 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 sesame oil, vinegar, and 1/4 teaspoon salt together in large bowl. Add mushrooms and toss to coat. Add sesame seeds and scallions and toss. Season with salt and pepper to taste; serve immediately.