Episode 89 - Mushi Mushi

By: Kristy on Friday, February 24, 2012

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If you had told me 5 years ago that I would eventually cook and enjoy this dish I would have called you a big fat liar.  In fact, I would have called you a big fat liar and then scowled at you for the next hour for even suggesting I would eat something so vile.  An entire meal centered around mushrooms?!  Are you kidding?!  Did you know those are just fungus grown on cow manure?  Yuck.

Creamy Mushroom and White Bean Ragout

The most delicious fungus ever! 

4 slices bacon, diced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 onion, diced
2 cups mixed fresh mushrooms, diced (we used mini bella and shiitake)
3/4 cup chicken broth
1 can white kidney beans, dried and rinsed
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
1 cup baby spinach
1/3 cup heavy cream
1/4 cup Parmesan cheese, grated
salt and pepper, to taste

Start by cooking the bacon in a large skillet over medium-low heat.  Once it is cooked and some of its fat has rendered toss in the garlic, onions and mushrooms.  Continue cooking until the mushrooms soften and turn a deep brown color.  Next, add the broth, kidney beans, red pepper flakes and spinach and cook until the spinach wilts.  Add in the cream and cheese, cook for 2 minutes just to warm it up, then season with salt and pepper. Done!  How easy was that?  Doesn't it look yummy?!

Honestly, Internet, I never thought I'd say this, but I genuinely enjoyed eating this dish.  I even took leftovers for lunch the next day!  Look at me - broadening my horizons, conquering my fears!  I think we call this type of thing "personal growth".  Just don't ask me to eat snake.  My person has not grown quite that much. That one's going to take some serious work - possibly hypnosis and/or group therapy in which we all bond over our mutual coo-coo-for-cocoa-puff-ness and then cry and hug at the end...