King Oyster Mushroom Scallops With Smoky Creamy Linguini

November 28, 2017
Wicked
Main Dish

Updated: July 29, 2022

40 minutes
4 servings
0.0

Today we’re bustin’ out the shrooms and slicing ’em up to make a plant-based version of scallops. Pair them with a rich and creamy cashew sauce, kissed with a little liquid smoke and miso, you’ve got yourself a plate of wicked deliciousness, without harming a single creature in the process.

Ingredients

for the cashews

2 cups raw cashews, soaked overnight, then drained and rinsed
2 cups No-Chicken broth

for the smokey cashew cream sauce

2 TB refined coconut oil
4 shallots, sliced
6-8 garlic cloves, smashed and chopped
1/3 cup white wine
the pureed cashew cream sauce
2-3 cups No-Chicken broth
1 tsp liquid smoke
2 TB chickpea or other light, mellow miso
3 TB nutritional yeast
1 tsp coconut vinegar OR the juice from half a lemon

for the king oyster mushroom scallops

1-2 TB olive oil
2 medium- to large-sized king oyster mushroom, sliced into scallop-sized pieces and soaked in warm water for about 20 minutes.

to serve

4 servings of linguine, spaghetti or any wide, long noodle, cooked according to package instructions
a handful of fresh parsley, chopped

Instructions

to prepare the cashews

Place the cashews and one cup of the broth into a blender (high speed, if you have one) or a food processor. The food processor will give a grainier texture, but this almost mimics parmesan cheese in this application, so either way you prefer works.
Add in the remaining one cup of broth and blend or puree until smooth. Set aside.

to prepare the cashew cream-bacon sauce

Melt the refined coconut oil in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Add in the shallots and saute for a few minutes, then add in the garlic and saute for a few minutes more, or until soft. If the garlic starts to turn golden at any point, reduce your heat down to its lowest setting.
Turn the heat up to medium, wait a minute. Add the wine and allow to sizzle for 2-3 minutes. Reduce the heat, then add the cashew cream to the pot.
Add one cup of the broth to the pot, and stir to combine, keeping the heat at medium low.
Allow to simmer for about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Turn the heat slightly up to maintain the simmer, and turn slightly down if the mixture starts sputtering. Add more broth as needed as it reduces to maintain a gravy-like consistency—not too thick, not too thin.
Add in the liquid smoke, miso, nutritional yeast and vinegar or lemon juice, stir to combine and taste. If you detect any sweetness from the cashews, add in a little more coconut vinegar or lemon. If you want the sauce to taste a little more bacon-ey, add a few more dashes of liquid smoke. If you want it a little saltier and have more umami, add an additional tablespoon of miso.

To prepare the king oyster mushroom scallops

Place a stainless steel or non-stick pan over medium heat. Add a little bit of oil to the pan, then carefully add the mushrooms. (They will sputter a bit, so take care.) Allow to develop a little color around the edges on the bottom, then flip, repeating the process on the other side. Repeat with any remaining mushrooms, and set aside.

To serve

Place the cooked pasta into bowls and top with the sauce, or toss the pasta in the sauce. Top with the mushroom scallops and sprinkle with parsley. Serve immediately,

When we eat most mushrooms, we’re eating the caps or tops, and tossing the stems or saving them later to make stock. With king oyster mushrooms, we’re going to do the opposite. Found in any East Asian grocer, sometimes marked as a “seafood mushroom” this variety resembles a scallops in taste, appearance and texture.

And what goes better with that than a pile of pasta, drenched in a rich and creamy sauce?

Now let’s talk about that sauce! We start with a little coconut oil, add some shallots and garlic, then hit it with a little wine, then drizzle in cashew cream to create a luxurious base. Next, it’s simmered with broth then finished with liquid smoke, miso, nutritional yeast and lemon juice or coconut vinegar. Top or toss with noodles, your scallops’ and a sprinkle of fresh parsley and dig in!