Whole Wheat Linguine with Mushrooms and Lemon-Garlic Gremolata

The following recipe is one of my brother’s go-to recipes. He has made it so many times that he no longer needs the original recipe, and now just cooks it by feel and what looks good. I love when that happens! It all started one day at work when my brother’s co-worker heated up something in the microwave for lunch that smelled so good he just couldn’t stand it anymore. He asked her what in the world she was eating. I’m so glad she gave him the recipe and the cookbook reference, because now I cook this recipe for family and friends and it’s always a hit. The original recipe is from Vegan Planet: 400 Irresistible recipes with Fantastic Flavors from Home and Around the World by Robin Robinson. The linguine recipe is on pg. 242 and the gremolata is on pg. 243. The following is my tweak of my brother’s version. I’ve labeled this a transition recipe because you don’t need cheese or meat to make this satisfying.

Whole Wheat Linguine with Mushrooms and Lemon-Garlic Gremolata
For the Gremolata
1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped about 1/2 cup
5 to 6 cloves of garlic, finely minced or pressed
grated zest of one lemon (the largest you can find), reserve the juice from 1/2 of lemon

For the Linguine with Mushrooms
1 lb box of organic whole wheat linguine imported from Italy, or gluten free equivalent if needed
1/2 cup of reserved pasta cooking water
1/4 cup high-quality extra virgin olive oil, divided
1 medium shallot, finely minced
2 (8 oz.) packages of mushrooms (first choice: 1 pack oyster and 1 pack cremini; second choice: 1 large pack of oyster, crimini, and shiitake; third choice: 1 pack white mushrooms and 1 pack baby portabella mushrooms)
salt and pepper
1 recipe gremolata
optional: top with shaved vegan cheese for a dairy free garnish, alternatively, use Parmesan or Pecorino Romano.

1) Mince the garlic, parsley, and lemon zest together until well blended. Makes about 1/2 cup. Cover and refrigerate (can be refrigerated up to 24 hours—but the fresher the better).

2) Cook the linguine from box directions to al dente, usually 8 – 10 minutes. Be sure to add salt to cooking water.

3) While the pasta is cooking heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-low heat in a medium sized saute pan. Add the shallots and cover and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, lemon juice, salt and pepper to the pan; cook mushrooms until softened and cooked through, cooking the mushrooms until there are no natural juices left. Add mushrooms to the gremolata mixture.

4) Reserve a 1/2 cup of pasta water then drain the pasta. Place the cooked linguini back into the pasta pot for easy tossing (no heat). Add the mushroom mixture, the pasta water, and the gremolata to the cooked linguini. Toss gently to combine. Add the remaining olive oil and toss again. Serve in a pasta bowl at once, or place on a platter and keep in a warm oven or on warming tray covered with foil.

Goes well with these vegan options: Roasted Broccoli with Lemon, Garlic, Gemolata; Roasted Asparagus; Roasted Vegetable Salad; Strawberry, Orange, and Grape Salad with Basil; or Strawberry, Romain, and Basil Salad with Balsamic Vinaigrette.

Vegetarian options: Cauliflower Gratin or Not-Your-Ordinary Fruit Salad.

Other options: Chicken Capri Deluxe; Broiled Wild Salmon; Oven-Roasted-Peel-and-Eat-Shrimp-with-Garlic-Butter-Zip-Sauce; or Italian Meat Balls.

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Whole Wheat Linguine with Mushrooms and Lemon-Garlic Gremolata

January 26, 2011

Servings: 4

Prep: 15 min

Cook: 25 min

Total: 40 min

Difficulty: Easy

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By: Michele Tedrick, NBC-HWC, A-CFHC, Holistic Chef

Ingredients

• For the Gremolata
• 1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped about 1/2 cup
• 5 to 6 cloves of garlic, finely minced or pressed
• grated zest of one lemon (the largest you can find), reserve the juice from 1/2 of lemon
• For the Gremolata
• 1 bunch of flat leaf parsley, finely chopped about 1/2 cup
• 5 to 6 cloves of garlic, finely minced or pressed
• grated zest of one lemon (the largest you can find), reserve the juice from 1/2 of lemon
• For the Linguine with Mushrooms
• 1 lb box of organic whole wheat linguine imported from Italy, or gluten free equivalent if needed
• 1/2 cup of reserved pasta cooking water
• 1/4 cup high-quality extra virgin olive oil, divided
• 1 medium shallot, finely minced
• 2 (8 oz.) packages of mushrooms (first choice: 1 pack oyster and 1 pack cremini
• second choice: 1 large pack of oyster, crimini, and shiitake
• third choice: 1 pack white mushrooms and 1 pack baby portabella mushrooms)
• salt and pepper
• 1 recipe gremolata
• optional: top with shaved vegan cheese for a dairy free garnish, alternatively, use Parmesan or Pecorino Romano

Directions

• Step 1 Mince the garlic, parsley, and lemon zest together until well blended. Makes about 1/2 cup. Cover and refrigerate (can be refrigerated up to 24 hours—but the fresher the better).
• Step 2 Cook the linguine from box directions to al dente, usually 8 – 10 minutes. Be sure to add salt to cooking water.
• Step 3 While the pasta is cooking heat 1 tablespoon of the olive oil over medium-low heat in a medium sized saute pan. Add the shallots and cover and cook until soft, about 5 minutes. Add mushrooms, lemon juice, salt and pepper to the pan
• Step 4 cook mushrooms until softened and cooked through, cooking the mushrooms until there are no natural juices left. Add mushrooms to the gremolata mixture.
• Step 5 Reserve a 1/2 cup of pasta water then drain the pasta. Place the cooked linguini back into the pasta pot for easy tossing (no heat). Add the mushroom mixture, the pasta water, and the gremolata to the cooked linguini. Toss gently to combine. Add the remaining olive oil and toss again. Serve in a pasta bowl at once, or place on a platter and keep in a warm oven or on warming tray covered with foil.