Fierce Mushrooms

Nick Kindelsperger of Serious Eats has exceded my expectations in two out of two recipes. His latest success adapts a torta recipe by Rick Bayless. My adaptation makes Kindelsperger's recipe vegan and gluten-free and also dispenses with his request for bollilo rolls (found in every U.S. supermarket from nowhere to nowhere else).

These mushrooms burst with juicy, fresh flavor in a way I haven't experienced in years. I highly recommend eating them, smacking your lips, putting your feet up, and lazily rubbing your stomach.

If you don't want to make tacos, you can just mix the fierce mushrooms with rice or add it to pasta. You could pretty much add them to anything—that's how great they are.

Fierce Tacos

Fierce Mushrooms:

8 ounces shiitake mushrooms, sliced

8 ounces oyster mushrooms, sliced

8 crimini, baby bella, or button mushrooms, sliced

6 cloves of garlic, peeled, smashed, and sliced

1 scant teaspoon salt

fresh juice of 2 limes

3 Tablespoons olive oil

Fierce Beans:

1 can black beans, drained and rinse

2 cloves garlic, peeled, smashed, and sliced

1 scallion, sliced

some cooking oil

Condiments:

salsa

fresh green leaves

optional: a smear of goat cheese

corn tortillas (yeah, I get that these should get their own tortilla category)

Directions:

1. Mix together everything in the "Fierce Mushroom" category. Pour it into a 9x13 baking dish. Cover with aluminum foil and cook at 375 for 10 minutes. Then remove the aluminum foil and continue roasting for another 40 minutes.

2. Wash your dishes!

3. Spray a fry pan with with oil, turn on medium heat. Brown some garlic in it, add the beans. Stir and then mash it all together with a hand-held potato masher or a large wooden spoon. Add scallions and turn off the heat.

4. Heat up and soften tortillas in a toaster or the oven.

5. Make soft tacos: add some mushrooms, some beans, some greens, a little goat cheese (optional), and a little salsa.

6. Gobble immediately. Serves 3 people.