Christmas

Seared Mushrooms With Lemon-Cumin Labneh

November 12, 2020
5
4 Ratings
Photo by Rocky Luten. Food stylist: Anna Billingskog. Prop stylist: Megan Hedgpeth.
  • Prep time 5 minutes
  • Cook time 10 minutes
  • Serves 4 as a side
Author Notes

These warm, crispy mushrooms are served on top of creamy labneh and best enjoyed with a carb vehicle of your choice to scoop everything up. (And don't worry if you don't have or like labneh—you could also use a thick-style yogurt such as Greek or Skyr). When you add the mushrooms to the dry pan, you might have a moment of panic thinking the pan is overcrowded, but push that aside knowing that they will shrink down, much like onions or spinach. The result will be crispy, golden brown mushrooms that will soak in the brightness of the lemon juice, the perfect foil to the earthy flavors of the olive oil and cumin. —yasminfahr

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Ingredients
  • 1 pound cremini or mixed mushrooms (like cremini, shitake, and oyster), cleaned, stems trimmed, and cut into 1/2-inch slices
  • 1 tablespoon freshly grated lemon zest (from 1 lemon)
  • 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice (from the single lemon you zested)
  • 1/2 teaspoon plus 1/4 teaspoon ground cumin,
  • 1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil or ghee
  • 1/4 teaspoon red pepper flakes, plus more to taste
  • 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt, plus another 1/2 teaspoon for labneh
  • 1 pinch freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste
  • 1 cup labneh or thick-style yogurt (such as Greek or Skyr)
  • 1/4 cup packed fresh herbs (like dill, mint, cilantro, or basil leaves and fine stems), roughly chopped, for garnish
  • Crostini, toasted pita or crusty bread, for serving
Directions
  1. Heat a dry 12-inch cast-iron or heavy skillet over medium-high heat until very hot and lightly smoking, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Spread the mushrooms evenly across the surface of the pan (it will seem crowded and that’s okay). Allow the mushrooms to cook for 2 minutes without moving them (it’s hard to resist, but you can do it!) so that they make contact with the pan and release their liquid. Then use a wooden spoon to stir them and allow to cook, undisturbed again, for another minute. Continue to stir at 1 minute increments (setting a timer on your phone can help with patience for this) until crispy and browned, 5 to 6 minutes total.
  2. Add the oil, 1/2 teaspoon cumin, and red pepper flakes to the mushrooms, seasoning with 1/2 teaspoon of kosher salt salt and stirring to combine for about 1 minute more. You'll want to cook the mushrooms until the oil is absorbed and they take on a lovely sheen.
  3. While the mushrooms are cooking, spoon the labneh into a serving bowl. Add 1 tablespoon lemon juice, the remaining 1/4 teaspoon cumin, and the remaining 1/2 teaspoon salt. Adjust seasoning as needed.
  4. Once the mushrooms are off the heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon lemon juice to the pan and adjust seasoning as needed. Pour the mushrooms along with any juices on top of the labneh. Finish the dish with lemon zest, season with pepper and top with fresh herbs. Serve with your carb of choice on the side.

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Yasmin is a recipe developer and cookbook author. Her first book, Keeping it Simple, is full of easy, weeknight one-pot recipes. Say hi to her online @yasminfahr!

1 Review

TXExpatInBKK August 19, 2021
This was delicious! I sprinkled pepitas over the top for some crunch.