Portion size. This is pretty rich, so I will say this feeds four with a salad. If you are going in hungry, it will likely feed two with a bit leftover.

Mushrooms are like little sponges, so it takes some practice to figure out how to work with their water content. Under heat and salt, they’ll release their liquid. After it releases, some will evaporate. Then you reintroduce flavorful liquids like wine, vinegar, and butter, which the mushrooms can reabsorb.

Here, we’re making delicious mushrooms to start. They can go a few different ways. Pile these on toasted bread or toss with noodles. You can add in more crème fraiche and spoon the creamy mushrooms on top of your steak (if you go that route). If you want something lighter, I love the mushrooms with some spaghetti squash as a noodle alternative.

I find the best selection of mushrooms at farmers markets, but I know those are not always accessible. Whole Foods will be the next best option for a variety, and really, this can use any type of mushrooms. They don’t have to be the fancy ones.

You can serve this with the Winter Salad if you want a busier salad, but we like arugula with good olive oil, lemon juice, and toasted pine nuts next to a pasta like this.