Roasted King Oyster Mushrooms with Garlic and Thyme
Halved lengthwise, scored and roasted hard, king oyster develops a crisp golden exterior and a dense, almost meaty interior. Garlic, thyme and a finishing splash of sherry vinegar keep it from reading as one-note. The simplest way to understand what this mushroom does.
Ingredients
- 1 lb king oyster mushrooms from KC Mushroom Co.
- 3 tbsp olive oil
- 4 cloves garlic smashed
- 6 sprigs fresh thyme
- kosher salt and black pepper to taste
- 2 tbsp unsalted butter
- 1 tbsp sherry vinegar or red wine vinegar
- flaky sea salt to finish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 425°F.
- Halve each king oyster mushroom lengthwise through the stem and cap. Score the cut face in a shallow crosshatch pattern.
- Toss the halves with olive oil, salt and pepper until evenly coated.
- Arrange cut side down in a cast iron skillet or on a sheet pan. Tuck the smashed garlic and thyme sprigs around them.
- Roast 15 minutes, then flip the mushrooms cut side up. Roast another 8 to 10 minutes until deeply golden and the edges have crisped.
- Remove from the oven. Add the butter to the hot pan and swirl until melted, spooning it over the mushrooms.
- Finish with the sherry vinegar and a scatter of flaky salt. Serve warm.
Notes
From the farm: Scoring the cut face isn’t cosmetic — it opens up surface area so the interior cooks through at the same rate the exterior browns. Skip it and you get a browned outside with a raw-tasting center.
Make ahead: Best served fresh from the oven, but leftovers are excellent chopped into grain bowls or folded into eggs.