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Need To Mix Up Your Dinner Rotation? Try This Sizzling Mushroom Fajita Skillet

Author:

Jocelyn Ramirez

April 14, 2020

Plant Based Chef

By Jocelyn Ramirez

Plant Based Chef

Jocelyn Ramirez is the chef and founder of Todo Verde and a co-founder of Across Our Kitchen Tables.

Image by Zohra Banon / Contributor

April 14, 2020

There's something captivating about sitting in a Mexican restaurant when a sizzling fajitas platter moves its way through the dining room. Guests hungrily follow their noses as they turn their heads to see the platter find its way to its chosen eater. I've ordered plenty of those showstopper platters, and for some reason, I have always found that most times, the show outperforms the flavors on the plate. I want to eat the same flavors that I'm smelling as the dish permeates the room, but that hasn't always been the case.

For this recipe, we're going to focus as much on the seasoning and ingredients as we do on the presentation. We're using hand-shredded oyster mushrooms for this recipe, but feel free to use your favorite mushroom variety to make it extra special. I love serving this dish family-style out of the same cast-iron skillet I used to cook it to give that same sizzling effect to wow my family. Hit the skillet with a little lemon just before serving, and you'll be sure to turn heads as you make your way to the table.

Fajitas de Champiñones

Serves 4

Ingredients

¼ cup cooking oil, plus more for cooking as needed
¾ pound oyster mushrooms, hand-shredded
¼ pound king oyster mushrooms, cut into bite-size pieces
½ teaspoon ground cumin
½ teaspoon mushroom powder
½ teaspoon oregano
½ teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
2 medium bell peppers, cut into ¼-inch batons
3 medium Mexican squash, cut into ¼-inch batons
½ bunch cilantro, minced
2 tablespoons lemon juice
Salt and pepper, to taste
1 tablespoon black sesame seeds, to garnish
3 cilantro sprigs, to garnish

Method

Coat the bottom of a cast-iron skillet with the oil.
Preheat over high heat and add the oyster mushrooms, king oyster mushrooms, cumin, mushroom powder, oregano, crushed red pepper flakes, salt, and pepper. You may need to sear the mushrooms in batches if your skillet is small and the mushrooms are crowded.
Sear the mushrooms for 5 to 10 minutes, and then gently mix in the bell peppers and squash to sear. If you're working in batches, you can remove the mushrooms and add them back once the red peppers and squash have seared.
Add the cilantro in the last few minutes of cooking when you see the mushrooms, pepper, and squash are seared. Taste for salt and add more as needed.
Add the lemon juice, sesame seeds, and a couple of sprigs of cilantro for garnish just before taking the skillet to the table.

Chef's Note: If you can't find oyster mushrooms, use any other mushroom variety available, like cremini, portobello, or white button, and slice the mushrooms instead of hand-shredding.

Reprinted with permission from La Vida Verde by Jocelyn Ramirez, Page Street Publishing Co. 2020.