The "Laughing Lobster" Marinara Sauce

Alright friends- I have just recently discovered the lobster mushroom (thank you chubby vegetarian- chubbyvegetarian.blogspot.com). Now, for those of you who do not know, the lobster mushroom lives up to its name completely. It is rich, meaty, and oh so tasty! You can find the lobster mushroom at many gourmet establishments for a bit of a hefty price, but if you search long enough, you will find them at a nearby local grocer for under $5. I found the elusive cheap lobster mushroom and upon this awesome find, I stocked up. The next thought: I bet I could make up a new recipe for the blog with my lobster mushrooms (warning: I also got a great deal on black trumpets so another new recipe will be coming soon!) So, hear it is! The laughing lobster marinara. This could easily be made into a cream sauce by adding a 1/2 cup of half and half and 1 tbsp of butter to the final step, but I wanted to make this one vegan friendly for my vegan friends.

Ingredients:

For the mushrooms:

1 Tbsp seaweed powder (place dried seaweed in a blender and blend until a powder if you cannot find any- it will keep in a sealed container)

1 oz. dried lobster mushrooms

1 ½ c. hot tap water

Place the mushrooms, seaweed powder, and water in a medium bowl and let sit for at least one hour to re-hydrate the mushrooms. Drain and set aside

For the marinara:

2 Tbsp olive oil

½ tsp. Old Bay Seasoning

1 small sweet onion chopped

3 cloves of garlic chopped

28 oz. can of whole tomatoes

Pinch of hot red pepper flakes or to taste

¼ tsp of each: garlic powder, salt, and pepper (or to taste)

Instructions:

Heat 1 tbsp of olive oil 12 in. pan over medium heat. Add mushrooms and cook until lightly browned (about 5 minutes). Mix in old bay seasoning, remove from heat, and set aside.

In another pan, heat remaining 1 tbsp of olive oil over medium heat. Add onions and cook until translucent (about 5 minutes). Add garlic and cook for one minute more. Add tomatoes, smashing each whole tomato into the pan. This is the best part! Take each tomato out of the can and smash it with your clean hands over the pan, then add the flesh. Be careful you are not wearing a white shirt! Once all of the tomatoes have been smashed, add the remaining juice in the pan. Add the red pepper, salt, garlic powder, and pepper. Bring to a boil, and then allow to simmer until reduced by ½ (about 15 minutes). Remove from heat and add lobster mushrooms. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

This sauce can be served over linguini and served with hot bread and a glass of red for a delicious meal!