On a frigid, ready-to-drop-from-exhaustion kinda day, I either eat a bowl of cereal and call it a night or gravitate towards a steaming bowl of healthy comfort food…and some cheese. While the latter is a much more satisfying and nourishing option, what’s more convenient than pouring cereal and milk into a bowl? Well..nothing really, but add an extra step of pressing a few buttons on a microwave, and you can have yourself a substantial meal. And that’s what I bring to you today. Now when I’m making a pasta dish, I like to make a huge pot of sauce (this time a vegetarian mushroom bolognese) over the weekend and keep the cooked pasta (drizzled in some olive oil and stored in a tupperware) so that it can be enjoyed as a quick, comforting weeknight meal. It just so happens that I prefer eating the sauce the next day as the flavors have more fully matured.
In Korean cooking, we use a lot of dried mushrooms, especially “pyogo busut” or shiitake. For this dish, I used the European/American variety, porcini mushrooms. I must admit, the dried mushrooms are a bit on the pricier side, BUT they add an incredible amount of flavor. Simply reconstitute them with hot water and watch the magic happen! You’ll immediately catch a whiff of the concentrated aroma that screams umami. Add both the mushrooms and the soaking liquid into the pot, and their meaty/savory texture and flavor contributions more than make up for the not-so-appetizing brownish hue they add to the dish.
Have you tried quinoa pasta? I normally purchase mine from Trader Joe’s, and I’ve become absolutely obsessed. I mean, not only is the taste similar to regular pasta, but it’s a great way to add extra protein to a dish like this vegetarian one. I served the dish with some grated parmesan and basil for freshness. Earthy and rich, this really is perfect for when you’re needing something stick-to-your-ribs good. The mushrooms take center stage as the bold essence of the soaking liquid resonates throughout the sauce. Chock full of nutrients and flavor, what’s not to love?
