Mushrooms w/ Beans - A Healthy and Economic Meal

I found a BIG box of button mushrooms in the refrigerator, again forgotten all week. I do love them but sometimes I forget they are there. Then a BIG cutting and fine slicing event happened and the results are delicious. Mushrooms shrink a lot, so a big box is gone in one meal. Hubby eats them straight out of the pan, crispy brown edges and all. It would have been easy to make a nice mushroom sauce from them too, but I digress.

This new set of recipes is destined to become my "Cannellini Series" because I am testing so many recipes using this method and product. It's becoming a regular star of my evening meal.

These canned beans are not expensive. They are easy to find, they are attractive, and they are ever so delicious. The sauce they can create is creamy and smooth, so I suggest if you want a new table star you start trying these out. I know every Italian cook already know, but I was denied the blessing of being born Italian, so I am happy it did find me eventually.

The recipe starts as they all do, with whatever I have in the refrigerator or pantry. If I don't have it I won't usually go out and shop for it. That is one good thing about "scratch cooking."

Ingredients:

Large box of mushrooms, in my case it was about 8 cups once thinly sliced
2-4 tablespoons butter
2 tablespoons olive oil
Salt to taste - I use a fair amount of Maldon salt crystals because I am a salt person
1 can Cannellini beans - keep 1/4 cup liquid from the can
Sprinkle parmesan cheese on top

Method:

In a large fry pan add the oil and butter. Slice the mushrooms thin. Add the mushrooms to the pan and fry until browned and crisp on the edge. This takes quite a while, so relax and let the heat do its job--while watching the pan, of course. Add the cannellini beans and crush a few to make a sauce. Add the reserved juice. Before serving, add thinly grated parmesan on top.

I then made Boston lettuce cups and filled them with the bean mushroom mixture. This is a good time to add the cheese. I made a small side salad and this became my dinner.

The above is simple spinach with cannellini on sourdough, which I had as a leftover for lunch the next day.

I hope you try this recipe out, it is amazing.

~Hugs from Mum