I missed my 8 year anniversary of Italicious, it should feel like a great sense of accomplishment, 8 years is a long time to keep something like this going. I do feel that I have, at least in the past, accomplished something pretty cool. I have enjoyed writing about cooking so much over the years, all of these new flavors in the many different places that I have lived and visited. The Pacific Northwest shouldn’t bring all of this hard work and good eating to a standstill, but in the past year it really has. Despite that grey sky and the wet stuff falling from it I need to call my creative juices, please come forth and flow again.

Mushrooms are such a great fall food, this recipe for chanterelles on toast was wonderful. I love mushrooms, but I have found, in my experience, that I am not an expert at cooking them. I thought it would be a shame to not let these beauties shine their brightest, so no trusting myself and ,my own devices, I went with a recipe from the New York Times, which rarely fails me. They were outstanding, I grilled some leftover crusty bread and my husband and I let the juices dribble down our cheeks, slurping up every bite.

Chanterelles on Toast

from the New York Times

• 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
• 1 pound fresh chanterelles
• 2 tablespoons sherry vinegar
• 1 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
• 1 cup vegetable stock
• ½ teaspoon finely chopped fresh rosemary
• 1 teaspoon finely chopped fresh thyme
• 1 tablespoon chopped flat leaf parsley
• 1 tablespoon cold butter
• ¼ teaspoon kosher salt
• Freshly ground pepper, to taste
• 4 slices toasted sourdough, for serving
• 4 tablespoons shaved vegetarian Parmesan

Heat your largest fry pan over medium-high heat, and when it is hot, add the olive oil. Once the olive oil is hot, add the chanterelles. Cook for 4 minutes without moving them around too much.

Add the sherry vinegar and the lemon juice and cook down until fully reduced. Add the stock and reduce by half (you are not exactly reducing so much as hydrating the mushrooms). Add the rosemary, thyme, parsley and butter. Stir with a wooden spoon to incorporate the butter. Season with salt and pepper.

Evenly spoon the chanterelles over the 4 pieces of toasted bread and garnish with shaved Parmesan.

One Year Ago: Asparagus With Anchovies and Capers, Spaghetti con polipetti, Farfalle with Roman Beans, Tomato Confit and Salmon & Ceci Neri con le Seppie

Two Years Ago: Ricotta and Sweet Potato Gnocchi, Acciughe Sotto Sale, Tiella Barese con Cozze, Riso e Patate, Vegetable Lasagna “in bianco”, Pomegranate Chicken, Spiced Brisket with Leeks and Dried Apricots, Risotto with Calamari and Zucchini Blossoms & Rigatoni and Cauliflower al Forno

Three Years Ago: Acciughe al Finocchio, Orecchiette nelle ‘Nchiosce, Moscardini-Polipi agli Agrumi, Merenda Napoletana, Stuffed Eggplant, Ziti con le Sarde e Cicoria, Provençal Orecchiette al Forno, Lentil and Escarole Soup & Turkish Spiced Chicken Kebabs with Pomegranate Relish and Tahini Yogurt

Four Years Ago: Insalata di Seppie e Zucchine alla Scapece, Farfalle alla Primavera, Spaghetti alla Chittara con Cicoria e Paté di Olive, Spaghetti con le Cozze e Pomodori Freschi, Pranzo di Ferragosto, Fusilli Bucati alla Puttanesca, Casareccie with Green Beans and Ricotta, Holland, Cappelletti con Salmone Affumicato e Fagiolini, Chilled Zucchini-Yogurt Soup, Risotto with Sausages and Green Beans, Herb Baked Fish, Moroccan Beet Salad, Aunt Lois’s Challah, Zucchini in Israeli Tomato Sauce, Crunchy-Topped Whole-Wheat Plum Cake, Caprese Pasta Salad with Grilled Eggplant, Roma, Insalata di Seppie con Paté di Olive, Chocolate Swirl Cheesecake, Fried Calamari, Alici Indorate e Fritte, Casareccie with grilled zucchini, pancetta and pine nuts, Orata al Cartoccio con i Finocchi Arrostiti & Risotto di Pesce a l’Aroma di Limone

Five Years Ago: Chickpeas With Baby Spinach, Grilled Bread Salad, Amatriciana with fresh tomatoes, Herb Marinated Kebabs, Cherry Clafouti, Blueberry Basil Vinegar, Pasta e Patate, Summer Squash with White Beans and Tomatoes, Ricotta, Tapenade and Cherry Tomato Pizza, Spaghetti con Acchiughe, Erbe e Limone, Mediterranean Green and White Bean Salad, Zucchini and Rice Tian, Pasta alla Norma di Zucchine, Salade Niçoise, Snapper al Sale, Risotto al Pesce, Farfalle alla Vodka, Flounder in Saffron-Tomato Sauce, Cold Asparagus Salad with Sesame Seeds, Spaghetti di Ettore & Roasted Figs

Six Years Ago: Pizza Bianca with Fresh Figs and Prosciutto Crudo, Sweet Pea Pesto, Greek Stewed Green Beans and Yellow Squash With Tomatoes, Gemelli with Grilled Sausage and Scamorza, Pan Seared Wahoo over Grits with Fresh Puttanesca, Porcini Trifolati, La Focaccia al Formaggio di Recco, Pizze Fritte, Luchin, Frittura di Funghi Porcini & Orecchiette

Seven Years Ago: Pasta e Lenticchie, Pasta all’Insalata Caprese, Grilled Lemon-Balsamic Asparagus, Zucchini and Ricotta Pie, Melanzane al Funghetto, Risotto with Zucchini and Saffron, Banana Blueberry Muffins, Lincoln Park Farmers Market, Chicago Il, Risotto agli Asparagi e Zafferano, Crochette di Riso, Parmigiana di Zucchine, Meat Tzimmes, Sweet Carrot Coins, Rice Pilaf with Golden Rasins and Pistachios, Challah, Apple Cake with Honey, Garganelli with Sausage Ragù, Lentil Pottage, Swiss Chard With Raisins and Pine Nuts, Supplì, Gnocchi with Sausage Fennel Ragù, Lemon Curd Marbled Cheesecake, Pasta e Ceci, Spaghetti with Caramelized Onions, Anchovies and Toasted Bread Crumbs, Kale and Potato Soup, Pumpkin and Kale Risotto, Apple Pancakes & Pasta e Zucca

Eight Years Ago: Cuttlefish over Spaghetti with a Tomato – Olive sauce, Pasta e Fagioli, Roasted Ricciola on a bed of Fennel, Pizza for Lunch and Pizza for Dinner, Marco’s in Riviera di Chiaia, Napoli, Fried Sole with Mache and Pear Salad, Babà, Melanzane alla Lina, Orata alla Ligure, Pizza Bianca Farcita, Ziti with a Seafood-Fennel Sauce, Fruit Tart with Crema Pasticciera and Shortbread Cookies & Farfalle alla Nerano

~ by italicious on October 31, 2016.

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