By Winter Music

Autumn brings the start of mushroom season. Whether you’re buying them from the store or foraging in the woods — it’s a great time to learn how to cook these weird, meaty, not-a-vegetable, not-a-fruit gifts from the ground.

This is a simple method you can use to cook almost any edible mushroom that’s fast, delicious, affordable and filling.

I created this recipe when I needed a filling vegetarian meal to eat while my friends ate meat at barbecues. Since then — through trial and error — with little more equipment than a knife and a frying pan, this has become a staple of college survival for me. I can throw it together in 20 minutes, it’s cheap and mushrooms are high in protein, which I’m usually trying to get more of as a vegetarian.

Ingredients:

• 4-6 small mushrooms — I use baby portobellos
• 2 Tbsp butter
• 1/4 of an onion
• 2-3 Tbsp barbecue sauce
• 2 slices of bread
• 4 tsp mayonnaise
• 1-2 slices cheese of your choice — optional

Step 1:

Start by cutting your mushrooms and onions into 1/4 inch-thick slices, then put the mushrooms directly into your cold pan and spread evenly.

Step 2:

Heat on medium-low, beginning to stir when the mushrooms start to sizzle. Cook for a total of 7 minutes or until the mushrooms become flexible, aromatic and have expelled most of their juice — this method is called a dry fry, and will improve the texture of your mushrooms.

Step 3:

Add your butter and onions, then cook until the onions become translucent.

Step 4:

Add barbecue sauce and cut the heat, mix well and let rest on the stove while putting mayo on each slice of bread — toasting bread is optional.

Step 5:

Transfer the contents of the pan onto one slice, then layer on cheese and the second piece of bread.

Step 6:

Enjoy!

Winter Music is a junior English major and copy editor for the Lumberjack. You can reach her at wlm38@humboldt.edu.