We absolutely love shitake mushrooms – all mushrooms in fact! We used to love to eat linguine with clam sauce and this is a delicious vegan substitute. This recipe was found in the Dec. 2012 issue of Vegetarian Times. This serves 4

Ingredients:

• 14 oz. uncooked linguine
• 2 tbsp arame (Notes: This popular seaweed is very sweet and mild, and it’s loaded with iron, calcium, and iodine. Substitutes: hijiki (similar, but not as sweet or mild) OR wakame OR kombu OR dulse) I did not use this – it wasn’t in the store and I wanted to make the dish, so I left it out!
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 3 cups fresh shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and sliced
• 1/2 cup dry white wine
• 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
• 1 1/2 cups unsweetened soy, rice, or macadamia nut milk (I used rice)
• 3 tbsp nutritional yeast
• 2 tbsp Earth Balance margarine, optional
• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes
• 3 tbsp finely chopped fresh flat-leaf (Italian) parsley
• 4 tsp pine nuts

Directions:

1. Cook pasta in salted, boiling water according to package directions. Drain.
2. Meanwhile, soak arame in 1/2 cup hot water.
3. Heat oil in skillet over medium heat. Add garlic and cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add mushrooms, wine, and lemon juice; (NOTE: Next time, I would sauté the mushrooms in the oil first, to give them some more flavor and crispier texture – then I would add the wine & lemon juice.) Sauté 5 minutes adding up to 1/4 cup water (if needed) to prevent sticking.
4. Add soy, rice or nut milk, nutritional yeast, margarine (if using), red pepper flakes, and arame with soaking liquid; season with salt and pepper to taste. Cook 5 minutes, stirring occasionally. (NOTE: this was very liquidy – I would only use 1 cup of the rice milk at first and then see if more is needed.)
5. Divide linguine among four plates; top with shitake sauce; garnish with parsley and pine nuts.

Thank you Vegetarian Times for a delicious meal!