Barbecued Maitake Frondosa

Ingredients

  • 1 lb. Maitake Frondosa
  • 1/3 cup olive oil
  • 2 Tablespoons soy sauce
  • 1/2 bunch scallions, green and white parts (leave the white part whole and reserve the green part, thinly sliced for garnish)
  • 1 clove garlic, crushed and peeled
  • 2 teaspoons honey
  • 1 Tablespoon white wine
  • Salt and fresh ground pepper
  • 2 Tablespoons additional white wine for reduction sauce.

Directions

  1. Blend olive oil, soy sauce, whole pieces of scallion whites, whole garlic cloves, honey, 1 Tb. wine, Kosher salt and fresh ground black pepper in blender.
  2. Separate Maitake by hand tearing fronds leaving a little of the base attached to each, or if there is a firm center core, you can cut slabs.
  3. Place Maitake in a gallon ziplock plastic bag. Pour about 2/3 of the marinade over the mushrooms. Reserve the last 1/3 marinade for reduction sauce below. Turn the bag over gently to completely cover the mushrooms with marinade. Repeat the turning over as the marinade drains to the bottom of the bag. Allow to marinate overnight in refrigerator. If you are impatient like me, sauté a couple pieces with the marinade drizzled over in a hot cast iron skillet to get a taste preview.
  4. For reduction sauce: Place reserved marinade plus 2 Tb. white wine in a wide pan. Bring to boil and reduce for a few minutes until it coats back of spoon. Set aside, keeping warm.
  5. Barbecue the Maitake on a hot charcoal grill using a vegetable grill topper or basket to keep the mushroom pieces from falling through the grill. Flip the pieces over once one side begins to turn golden brown. You can also grill the mushrooms in a hot cast iron skillet.
  6. Serve by pouring the warm sauce over the mushrooms, or serve separately as a dipping sauce. Garnish with green onion slices.