Sauteed Mushroom Salad
I am full of inspiration for salad all summer long. I could eat it three times a day and I never seem to run out of creative combinations for fresh summery greens. In the winter, however, I don’t want to eat salad. I do, because it’s healthy, but I just do. not. want. to. But I’m kind of tired, this week, of the same roasted veggies I’ve been eating, or the same raw chopped veggies. I also had the dark and heavy realization this week that it is a LONG time until summer(this always hits me at some point, usually the first week of January). So I thought I would combine some of the comfort of warm roasted food, with the health of piles of raw spinach. This salad was delicious, flavorful and felt a bit gourmet. I will proudly serve it to guests later this week!
If you are needing some winter salad inspiration, give this one a try. The great thing about it is that you don’t have to have a dressing. The garlic/olive oil/cherry tomatoes/mushrooms have enough flavor, and the balsamic drenched sourdough croutons are hearty enough, that nothing more is required. Enjoy!
Sauteed Mushroom Salad
Makes enough for 2 as an entree or 4 as a side.
Heat 1/4 cup of olive oil over medium heat. Add 2 cloves of garlic, minced, and 1 tsp of coarse sea salt and a pinch of chili flakes. Add 2 cups of halved small white button mushrooms and 1 cup of cherry tomatoes. Saute until golden(as we’ve all learned from Julia Child, don’t crowd the mushrooms if you want them to really brown).
Meanwhile, in a large bowl, put 2 cups of coarsely torn sourdough bread. Drizzle with a generous amount of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and a bit more sea salt. Place on a baking sheet and bake at 350 for about 10 minutes, stirring once.
On a large bed of spinach, dump mushroom mixture and hot croutons. Garnish with shredded parm and serve! The combo of cold spinach and hot mushrooms is delicious!
