In pais Vasco—Basque country—many tapas are substantial and filling. This meets that requirement, but it is also quick and simple. I once had it made with chanterelles, which of course produced a sublime version. If you can get them, or other wild mushrooms, the dish will be really special, but it’s quite wonderful with shiitakes. As for an omelet, you can put most anything you want in here; especially good is about a cup of chopped shrimp added just before the eggs. You can serve this on toast or bread, as is often done in tapas bars, or just by itself. It also makes a fine main course for two.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 to 6 servings a starter or 2 as a main course

　　3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

　　2 garlic cloves, minced

　　2 shallots, sliced

　　1/4 pound shiitake or other mushrooms, tough stems removed and caps chopped

　　1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley leaves

　　5 eggs

　　1 tablespoon milk

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　Crostini (page 41), optional

　　

Step 1

Put the oil in a large skillet, preferably nonstick, and turn the heat to medium. Add the garlic and shallots and cook, stirring, until softened and fragrant, about 2 minutes. Stir in the mushrooms and half the parsley; cover and cook until the mushrooms are soft, about 10 minutes.

　　

Step 2

Meanwhile, beat the eggs with the milk. When the mushrooms are done, turn the heat to low and stir in the egg and milk mixture. Cook, stirring occasionally, just until the eggs have set. Season with salt and pepper, spoon on top of crostini if you like, garnish with the remaining parsley, and serve.

　　The Best Recipes in the World by Mark Bittman. © 2005 by Mark Bittman. Published by Broadway Books. All Rights Reserved.MARK BITTMAN is the author of the blockbuster The Best Recipes in the World (Broadway, 2005) and the classic bestseller How to Cook Everything, which has sold more than one million copies. He is also the coauthor, with Jean-Georges Vongerichten, of Simple to Spectacular and Jean-Georges: Cooking at Home with a Four-Star Chef. Mr. Bittman is a prolific writer, makes frequent appearances on radio and television, and is the host of The Best Recipes in the World, a 13-part series on public television. He lives in New York and Connecticut.