Mushroom Garlic Salt

This wonderful homemade mushroom garlic salt recipe is adapted* from The Fundamentals & the Flavors in Zaytinya.

The world-renowned  Chef José Andrés writes in the introduction:

“At first, this seasoned salt may seem like a lot of effort. But I promise you, once you get a taste of its savory umami, you’ll want to put it on everything from lamb and pork to simple scrambled eggs. At Zaytinya, it makes our Mushroom Flatbread even more mushroomy. It’s also the not-so-secret seasoning on our famous fries.“

1. Separate the mushroom stems from the caps and thinly slice the stems. Cut the caps into .6 cm (¼-inch) wedges. Lay the mushrooms in one layer in a large, dry saute pan and sprinkle with some of the salt. Set the pan over medium­ low heat and allow the mushrooms to cook, slowly releasing their liquid and simmering in the pan. Stir the mushrooms so they don’t stick to the pan and continue to cook until the mushrooms are soft and the pan is nearly dry, about 5 minutes.

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3. Push the mushrooms to the edge of one side of the pan and carefully wipe off any remaining liquid in the pan with a paper towel. Increase the heat to medium-high and add the oil. Once the oil is sizzling, spread the mushrooms back across the hot pan and sear them until nicely browned, about 7 minutes. Transfer the mushrooms to a paper towel-lined plate to drain and cool.

4. Preheat the oven to 121°C (250°F). Combine the mushrooms, garlic, and remaining salt in a small food processor and blend until the texture is similar to coarse sand. Spread the mixture out on a parchment-lined baking sheet and bake for 2 hours, or until totally dry and brittle. Wipe the bowl of the food processor completely clean.

5. Let the mushroom mixture cool, then transfer to the food processor again, breaking up any large pieces that have formed, and pulse until the mixture’s texture resembles that of kosher salt.

6. Store at room temperature in an airtight container for up to 3 months.

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