Chef teaches how to make mushroom spaghetti to celebrate Valentine’s Day at home

Cooking for someone else is one of the oldest ways to express affection. Surprise your love!

June 2020 – How about making a meal from scratch this Valentine’s Day? For those who want to gift their sweetheart with something special, nothing beats preparing a private dinner. Even the least experienced cooks can venture into this dish chosen by Lisiane Miura, chef and nutritionist at the Umami Committee, to represent the “day of love”: spaghetti with mushrooms.

The chef explains that food is comforting and that cooking for someone is one of the oldest ways to express affection. “A romantic dinner can turn an ordinary night into a fantastic experience. The combination of pasta and mushrooms offers the refinement and flavor this day deserves,” says Lisiane. Shiitake and shimeji mushrooms are rich in protein and provide umami, the fifth basic taste of the human palate, which helps enhance all the other tastes in the meal, delivering a pleasant burst on the palate.

To finish, Lisiane suggests pairing the menu with red wine. “Add a good bottle of wine, a few candles, and enjoy. Light-bodied wines are ideal—prefer those made with Pinot Noir or Carménère grapes,” she adds.

Check out the recipe:

SPAGHETTI WITH MUSHROOMS

Ingredients

• 1 piece of kombu seaweed, 7 cm
• 1 cup water (200 ml)
• 2 tbsp olive oil (30 ml)
• 1 onion, thinly sliced
• 300 g shimeji mushrooms
• 300 g shiitake mushrooms
• 2 tbsp soy sauce (30 ml)
• 500 g spaghetti, cooked al dente
• 3 tbsp cold butter (45 g)
• 4 tbsp katsuobushi (bonito flakes)
• 2 tbsp nori seaweed, cut into thin strips

Directions

1. In a bowl, soak the kombu in the water for 10 minutes. Transfer to a small saucepan and heat over low heat for 20 minutes, taking care not to let it boil. Remove from the heat and set aside.
2. In a medium pan, add the olive oil and heat over medium heat. Add the onion and sauté for 1 minute, or until translucent.
3. Add the mushrooms and sauté for 5 minutes or until they begin to wilt. Add the reserved kombu broth and the soy sauce. Cook for 3 minutes so the mushrooms release their natural flavor.
4. Remove from the heat, add the butter, and stir until melted. Add the cooked spaghetti and toss to coat with the sauce.
5. Top with katsuobushi and nori, and serve immediately.

Yield: 4 servings.
Prep time: 40 minutes.

UMAMI
It is the fifth basic taste of the human palate, discovered in 1908 by Japanese scientist Kikunae Ikeda. It was scientifically recognized in 2000, when researchers at the University of Miami confirmed the existence of specific receptors for this taste on the taste buds. The amino acid glutamic acid and the nucleotides inosinate and guanylate are the main umami substances. The two main characteristics of umami are increased salivation and the persistence of taste for a few minutes after eating. To learn more, visit www.portalumami.com.br and follow us on facebook.com/ogostoumami and instagram.com/ogostoumami.