Shitake Mushroom Slaw

There is such a thing as your boyfriend and your family getting a long too well.

It is a rare occurrence, but it happens when they agree on something to the point that they gang up on you.

Not only is it a very new experience for me, it’s a really annoying one.

For me their bonding is manifesting in a strong distaste for what I am serving for dinner.

Or as I like to think of it, their lack of food imagination and faith that I can make anything taste good.

I thought it might be a fluke when Wes first came to dinner and he and my mother had a twenty minute dialogue on their distaste for clams. The protein of the evening.

Nope. No fluke.

Second dinner together and the cabbage bashing began.

“Cabbage huh? Yeah, I’m not really a cabbage guy.” – Wesley

“That’s an awful lot of cabbage. ALL of that is going into the pan? REALLY?” – Mom

Ok you two, keep the negative thoughts a coming. You both took seconds of this dish.

Next time the bashing begins, the seconds stop.

You will need…

3 tablespoons olive oil

1/2 pound shiitake mushrooms, stemmed and thinly sliced

3 to 4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

3/4 pound napa cabbage, shredded

3 tablespoons soy sauce

Freshly ground black pepper

1 lime, juiced

2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

Start by heating the oil in large skillet over high heat.

Add in the mushrooms and stir-fry 1 minute.

Then add the garlic and cabbage and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes more.

Stir in the soy sauce, black pepper, lime juice and the toasted sesame seeds and let it all simmer together for one more minute.

Transfer to a serving dish and serve hot.

No leftovers despite all the whining. I’ll consider that a success.

Love and Beer Floats

Angela