In about a year (G!d-willing), I’ll be marrying the only son of a proud, Russian (ok, technically Belorussian) mama. Since I speak neither Russian nor Hebrew and my future mother-in-law doesn’t speak English, I figure the best way to win her over is with food. If I can prove to her that I’ll at least be able to hold my own in the kitchen, she just might be willing to let her son come live with me here in the US. So I’m on a mission. Over the course of the next 11 months, I’m going to learn how to make her best recipes. Or at least the ones I know my fiance really likes.
Through a UN-like game of telephone through Igor, my future mama-in-law Marina gave me the recipe for the amazing marinated mushrooms she served at the shabbat lunch where she found out that her son was leaving her for some American girl (well, she didn’t say it that way but I know that’s what she was thinking). To say that I don’t like mushrooms is an understatement but these are magically out of this world. So far out of this world that I was almost able to forget that I was eating fungus. (The things we do for love.) Hope you enjoy this delicious, easy recipe. Now, if I could only make tea properly…
Marina’s Marinated [Magic] Mushrooms
Ingredients:
1 lb whole, fresh button mushrooms, cleaned by brushing off any dirt
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup vegetable or olive oil
1/3 cup white vinegar
1 tsp. salt (‘flat, not pregnant’)
1 tsp. sugar (‘flat, not pregnant’)
2 cloves
2 -3 garlic cloves, sliced
3-4 bay leaves
A few cloves whole allspice
A sprinkle of black peppercorns (or add more to taste)
Directions:
Place all ingredients in a large saucepot and bring to a boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 5 mins. Transfer to a large glass jar and marinate in the refrigerator for at least 2 hours. [Serve to precious, only son who will eat them up and never admit to you that your version never tastes quite like his mama’s.] Will keep for several days when chilled. [Best served at the beginning of a very, very long meal with enough food to feed an army. The kind of meal that only a Jewish mama can make.]
Yes, the bracketed comments are mine, but I swear she said them under her breath as she dictated the recipe.
(Photo: wloh009)
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