Portobello Pasta

I just ate THE most delicious dinner and it was conceived out of pure dinner desperation. Those desperate dinners amazingly turn out to be some of my most memorable dishes. Tonight's creation proved no different. Here's what I was working with. I had portobollo mushrooms hiding in the crisper drawer under a bag of Romain lettuce hearts and they were turning darker by the minute. I had the obligatory pantry staple, pasta; it's ol' faithful on a dark and lonely night. I had fresh thyme in my purse. Yes, I did say I had fresh thyme in my purse. Isn't that where everybody keeps their fresh thyme? I stole it from the backyard kitchen garden of Skopelos on the Bay yesterday. And besides, I like to keep thyme on my side. Hardy har har! I had some heavy cream that was about to expire, but still smelled fine. So here's the recipe of the most delicious made-up, thrown-together dinner I may have ever made.

Thyme's on my Side Portobello Pasta
adapted from...oh wait...I don't have to give anyone else credit...it's my recipe!

16 oz. pasta
1 onion, diced
6 oz. portobello mushroom caps, roughly chopped (add more if you like, I'm going to)
2 cloves garlic, chopped
fresh thyme (about a teaspoon)
1 T. butter
1 T. olive oil
salt & pepper
1 T. sherry cooking wine (this is the secret ingredient...you need it! Yummy!)
1/4 c to 1/3 c. heavy cream


1. Boil pasta as per directions on package. Make sure you salt your water well. It should taste like the Gulf of Mexico and if you haven't tasted the Gulf of Mexico lately, you should! Drain and set aside.

2. Heat oil and butter in pan over medium-high heat. Add onions, mushrooms, garlic and thyme. Let onions brown and soften. Add sherry, let it reduce. Add cream, salt and pepper and let it reduce.

3. Combine mushroom mixture with drained pasta and toss. Serve with salad and crusty French loaf. Garnish with a little thyme on the side.

Here are a few pics to help you visualize the preparation.

This is why you shouldn't dice garlic and take photographs while holding a small child on your hip. Lucky for him, he still has 9 digits left! Shew! Close call.

Stolen thyme (above)

Slightly creamy, but not overdone. Just right!

My first helping of Thyme's on My Side Portobello Pasta. At this point I had no idea what I was in for, but after that first bite...it was all over!

Cook's Note: Don't forget the sherry cooking wine. It makes all the difference!