My Mushroom Mishap

So occassionally, I screw up in the kitchen.  This weekend was no exception. 

Mission: make Mushroom Salad

Mission Status: Reassigned

I was half-way through making my Mushroom Salad when I realized the I didn't have Red Wine Vinegar like I thought; the vinegar in the cabinet was actually Balsamic Vinegar. I know I know - not the end of the world... however, it was in that moment I poured Honey into the mushrooms instead of the olive oil I meant to reach for - that's what I get for not having only what I needed infront of me (btw, in magical chef-land, they call that mise en place - literally "putting in place")

The great thing about Olive Oil is it won't ruin most cooking too terribly if you mess up - Honey.... that's another story.

So, I made a quick pivot and twist - Mushrooms aren't cheap and I wasn't about to throw out 2 lbs of it!

I decided to do Marinated Mushrooms instead.  There are four ingredients that I find I have routinely combined in different pairings to make dressings, marinades, and sauces throughout the years: Garlic, Balsamic Vinegar, Mustard, and Honey.  It sounds odd.  But it works!

Incidentally, these are all very good things to have on hand if you are trying to lose weight.

So, I'll share my (rather imprecise) recipe for the marinade with you:

2 cups Balsamic Vinegar
2 tbsp (tablespoons) Garlic (less if you find it offensive)
1/4 cup of Mustard (use any you like, though if you use honey mustard, don't add any honey later on)
1-2 tbsp of Honey
Salt and Pepper to taste

*hint, to make it a proper vinaigrette, just add a bit of oil

Whisk it all together in a bowl with a fork.

That's how I like it.  If you find balsamic vinegar too strong a flavor for you, add more honey or mustard (depending on what mustard you choose)

Play around with it. Marinades and vinaigrettes are a great place for beginners to play around and experiment in the kitchen.

See the video below if Vinaigrettes are more your speed.