Mushrooms Barcelona

Mushrooms Barcelona is the kind of Spanish-style tapas dish you’d see at a pintxo bar tucked into a side street in the old quarter. It’s small, fast, and built on a handful of pantry ingredients arranged to play off one another: earthy mushrooms, nutty toasted walnuts, bright citrus, and a splash of dry sherry for backbone.

Don’t crowd the pan. Mushrooms release a lot of water as they cook, and a crowded pan means they steam in their own juices instead of browning. Cook them in a single layer over medium-high heat, and resist the urge to stir for the first couple minutes. You’re after caramelized edges, not pale gray mushrooms.

The sherry, lemon juice, and grated orange peel all go in at the same time and cook for just one minute. That short hit of heat blooms the citrus oils in the orange peel without driving them off entirely, and the alcohol in the sherry cooks down to a nutty-savory glaze that coats the mushrooms.

Toasted walnuts add the textural crunch. Toast them yourself in a dry skillet for a few minutes before adding. Untoasted walnuts go soft and lose their distinctive flavor in the sauce.

Chef Tips

• Use a mix of mushroom varieties (cremini, oyster, shiitake) for layered earthy flavor and varied texture.
• Wipe mushrooms clean with a damp towel; don’t wash them under running water. They absorb water like sponges and won’t brown.
• Use a Microplane for the orange peel and avoid the bitter white pith underneath.
• Serve hot with crusty bread to mop up the pan juices.

Variations

• Swap walnuts for Marcona almonds for a more Spanish-leaning version.
• Add a clove of minced garlic with the mushrooms for extra savory depth.
• Finish with a few drops of aged sherry vinegar for an extra acidic kick.