Cozy up in the kitchen and indulge in shiitake mushroom spoonbread, a dish filled with herbal mushrooms and roasted onions. Similar to cornbread, Shiitake Mushroom Spoonbread is buttery, but has a more moist and creamy texture. This savory dish is a great alternative to cornbread and a fun appetizer for any occasion.
William Dissen shares his Shiitake Mushroom Spoonbread recipe in his first cookbook,Thoughtful Cooking: Recipes Rooted in the New South, which included recipes inspired by seasonal ingredients and sustainable agriculture from his Southern upbringing.
Spread bread on a sheet tray and leave out overnight to dry.
Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Grease a 9×13-inch baking dish or pan with butter and set aside. In a large sauté pan, add olive oil and set over medium-high heat. Add onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until translucent, 3 to 4 minutes. Add mushrooms, garlic, red pepper, and cook until mushrooms have given up some of their liquid and are beginning to brown slightly, 7 to 8 minutes.
Add wine and deglaze pan, scraping food from bottom. Cook, stirring occasionally, until wine reduces to a glaze, 5 to 6 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool to room temperature.
In a large bowl whisk together heavy cream, eggs, parmesan, and thyme. Add cooled mushroom mixture and bread and stir to combine. Allow to sit for 5 minutes so bread can absorb some of the liquid.
Scoop mixture into prepared baking pan and gently press down. Spray bottom of a piece of aluminum foil with cooking spray and place over baking pan. Place baking pan inside a large roasting pan and set in oven. Pour hot water in roasting pan until it fills ¾ of the pan. Bake 1 hour, remove foil, and continue baking until lightly brown on top, about another 20 minutes. Serve immediately.
