It’s not entirely clear that this preparation originated in Italy, since portobellos pretty much surfaced (no pun intended) at the same time throughout most of the Western world; but at least it’s an Italian-style preparation. In any case, while we are accustomed to eating these large, dark, meaty mushrooms grilled or sautéed, they are also excellent served raw, as they are here, on Crostini (page 41) or in a salad.

　　

Ingredients

makes 4 to 8 servings

　　1 pound portobello mushrooms, stems discarded and caps cleaned

　　1 pound ripe tomatoes, preferably plum, cored, seeded, and chopped

　　2 garlic cloves, minced

　　1 teaspoon fresh rosemary leaves or 1/2 teaspoon dried

　　3 tablespoons fresh lemon juice, or to taste

　　1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil

　　Salt and black pepper to taste

　　

Step 1

Cut the mushroom caps into small dice, then toss them with the tomatoes, garlic, rosemary, lemon juice, and oil. Cover and let rest, for up to an hour at room temperature or overnight, refrigerated. Bring back to room temperature before serving.

　　

Step 2

Season with salt and pepper and spoon onto crostini or eat with a fork.

　　

Diced Tomato Spread

Step 3

Omit the mushrooms. Use about a pound of ripe tomatoes, cut in half through their equators, then squeezed and shaken over the sink to remove as many seeds as possible. Dice and proceed as above, adding about 1/2 cup minced red onion to the mix.

　　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.