Marinated Fresh Mushrooms

A pound of fresh mushrooms soaked in a bold garlic-and-tarragon marinade makes one of the easiest make-ahead appetizers you can put on a platter. Eight cloves of crushed garlic in ¾ cup of olive oil with lemon juice, Dijon mustard, fresh tarragon, salt, and pepper. That’s the marinade. Stir it together, toss the mushrooms in, and walk away.

Eight cloves of garlic sounds aggressive, and it is. But raw garlic mellows significantly during the three-hour (or longer) marination. By the time you serve these, the garlic has softened into a warm, pungent flavor rather than a sharp, biting one. The olive oil absorbs and distributes the garlic throughout, so every mushroom carries the same level of flavor.

Fresh tarragon gives this marinade a distinctive anise-like sweetness that dried tarragon only approximates. If you can find fresh, use it. Three tablespoons is generous, and the herb perfumes the oil beautifully over time. If you’re stuck with dried, one tablespoon will do.

These actually get better the longer they sit. Three hours at room temperature is the minimum, but one to two days in the fridge is where they really shine. The mushrooms absorb the marinade deeply, turning silky and intensely flavored.

Chef Tips

• Remove the stems and wipe the caps clean with a damp paper towel. Don’t rinse mushrooms under water; they absorb it like sponges and dilute the marinade.
• Use medium-sized, firm white button or cremini mushrooms. Large mushrooms are too big for a single bite and soft ones fall apart during marination.
• Drain the marinade before serving and spear each mushroom with a toothpick. The oil drips and makes a mess without draining.
• Serve at room temperature for the best flavor. Cold mushrooms mute the garlic and tarragon.

Variations

• Italian style: Swap tarragon for fresh rosemary and add a pinch of red pepper flakes.
• Balsamic version: Replace half the lemon juice with balsamic vinegar for a darker, sweeter marinade.