Serves 2-4 in 15 minutes

Lion’s Mane Mushrooms deliver a great umami flavor, meaty texture and a set of brain-healing nutrients. When sautéed and tossed with lemon shallot butter and asparagus, they become an excellent accompaniment to almost any meal. If you can’t find them in the grocery store, you can substitute another mushroom. But you can also buy them in mushroom farm and “grow your own”! See the link below.

• Juice and zest of 1 lemon 

• 3 tablespoons shallot, minced1 pound asparagus

• ½ pound Lion’s Mane Mushroom (Hericium erinaceus) *

• 2 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

• 3 tablespoons grass-fed butter 

• ½ teaspoon sea salt

Prep the lemon zest:
Zest a whole lemon with a microplane, then cut it in half and juice it. Set aside the zest and juice, separately.

Prep the veggies:
Break the asparagus at the point on the stalk where it easily bends. Peel off the lower thick skin on the stem, if desired. Place the asparagus in a steamer basket and set aside. Bring the water to boil in the pan you’ll use to steam the asparagus, but don’t add the asparagus just yet.

Break apart the Lion’s Mane Mushrooms into bite-sized pieces. 

Cook the veggies:
Heat 2 T. olive oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Place the mushrooms, fuzzy side down and cook for 3-4 minutes, until starting to brown on that side. Turn over the mushrooms to cook 4 more minutes. If the mushrooms absorb all the oil, add a drizzle more to keep from scorching. When browned, remove the mushrooms from the pan and set aside.

While the mushrooms are cooking, place the steamer basket with the asparagus into the pan and steam, covered, for 4 minutes.  

Make the lemon-shallot butter:
Melt the butter in the frying pan, then add the shallots and lemon zest and cook for two minutes. Add the lemon juice, reduce the heat to medium and whisk these ingredients together until a fragrant sauce forms (only a minute or two). Stir in the salt and pepper then toss in the mushrooms.

Remove the asparagus to a serving plate, arrange the mushrooms around them and pour the lemon shallot butter over the asparagus. Bon appetite! 

* Grow your own “mushroom farms” are available through www.farwestfungi.com

Sally LaMont, ND, LAc