Nutrient-rich mushrooms star in meatless meal

Mushrooms are high on a list of things to watch in the food and beverage world for 2012. An annual trend-spotting report by JWT, a worldwide marketing communications company, pegged mushrooms as a top functional food.

"With more varieties now populating supermarket shelves, we'll see a growing awareness that this low-calorie but highly flavorful food packs a nutritional punch," the report says.

Mushrooms are nutritional all-stars. They are fat-free, cholesterol-free, low-calorie and low in sodium. And, according to the Mushroom Council, they're the leading source of the essential antioxidant selenium in the produce aisle. Some are inexpensive, while others, like those prized morels, are not.

The everyday mushroom I like is cremini, sometimes referred to as Italian mushrooms. These dark-brown beauties are widely available. Some sources say they are simply brown versions of white button mushrooms, but I think they have a heartier flavor. They also seem to be more uniform in size and shape.

Today's recipe, which, by the way, is meatless, calls for a mix of cremini and dried porcini mushrooms.

Dried mushrooms can usually be found in small packages near the fresh mushrooms in the market. To reconstitute dried mushrooms, soak them in hot water or a broth. And never get rid of that soaking liquid unless you absolutely must. It's a great addition to sauces and stuffings.

The soaking liquid goes into the creamy sauce for today's recipe, which uses ¾ pound of mushrooms. You can use more if you like because mushrooms shrink down when cooked.

When buying whole loose mushrooms, choose ones that are smooth, without dark spots and dry to the touch. If they are already packaged, give the package a shake so you can get a good look at all of them.

Store mushrooms in their original packaging or loosely in a paper bag. They should keep about a week. Never store them in an enclosed container. That can lead to condensation and cause them to spoil.

To clean mushrooms, use a damp paper towel to wipe away any soil. Don't soak them because mushrooms are like sponges and will take up the water. If you do rinse them, do it quickly under cool water and immediately wipe them dry.

Mushroom and Marsala Fettuccini

Preparation time: 10 minutes

Total time: 45 minutes

Makes 4 generous servings

2 cups vegetable stock
1 ounce dried mushrooms, such as porcini
Salt
¾ to 1 pound fettuccini or pappardelle pasta
3 tablespoons butter
¾ pound cremini or mini portobello mushrooms, thinly sliced
1 small bunch Tuscan (Lacinato) kale or Swiss chard, stemmed and thinly sliced
4 shallots, peeled, chopped
2 cloves garlic, peeled, finely chopped
Black pepper
Freshly grated nutmeg
¾ cup Marsala wine
1 cup heavy whipping cream (or a mix of heavy cream and half-and-half)
A few sprigs fresh sage, very thinly sliced
Grated Parmesan cheese for serving (about ½ cup)

In a small saucepan, place the stock and dried mushrooms. Bring to a low boil. Reduce the heat and simmer about 15 minutes to reconstitute the mushrooms. Strain the mushrooms from the stock and chop. Reserve the stock.

Bring a large pot of water to boil, salt it, add the pasta and cook until al dente. Drain, reserving a little of the cooking water.

While the pasta is cooking, in a large skillet, melt the butter over medium heat. Add the mushrooms and increase the heat to medium-high. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the mushrooms darken, about 7 to 8 minutes. Add the kale, shallots and garlic; season with salt, pepper and nutmeg to taste.

Cook for about 7 minutes longer, then stir in the wine. Add the chopped reconstituted mushrooms and all but ¼ cup of the mushroom-infused stock.

Stir in the cream and cook to reduce and thicken. Toss the pasta with the sauce, adding the reserved pasta cooking water if the sauce is too thick to coat the pasta nicely. Garnish with the sage and serve with the cheese on the side.

Nutrients per ¾ pound pasta and using mix of heavy cream and half and half: 604 calories (34 percent from fat), 24 grams fat (13 grams saturated fat), 81 grams carbohydrates, 23 grams protein, 553 milligrams sodium, 66 milligrams cholesterol, 6 grams fiber.

Adapted from Rachael Ray magazine, February