Pan Fried "Scallops" with Garlic Aioli Sauce

Oh my goodness, oh my goodness, oh my goodness!!!! I have finally found the elusive king oyster mushroom (I live in a small town in the Midwest). Bloggers, The Chubby Vegetarian, had spoken of this mushroom treat, and how a version of vegetarian scallops could be made. Of course, once I found the mushrooms, I could not find the recipe I was looking for, and I was on my own. Thus, the Happy Heffer's  "scallops!" These were so easy, and my goodness, so amazing. If I would have been by myself, I would have made a second batch and kept eating. They are the "I'm very full, but I am going to keep eating because I don't know when I will have these again" kind of good. Search out those king oyster mushrooms, and enjoy!






Ingredients:
2 King Oyster Mushrooms
2 1/2 Tbsp butter
1 Tbsp garlic infused olive oil
salt
Garlic Aioli (recipe follows)

Directions:
1. Cut mushrooms into 1/2 inch rounds (discard stems)
2. Heat butter and olive oil in large sauce pan over medium high heat
3. Pan fry the mushrooms in olive oil and butter until browned on each side.This took about 8 minutes on each side. If the oil and butter begin to brown, turn down the heat to medium.
4. Remove from heat, and sprinkle the tops of the "scallops" with salt and basil (optional). Serve with lemon and garlic aioli sauce.

Garlic Aioli
Ingredients:
1/2 c. mayonaise
1 clove of garlic smashed and chopped
1 Tbsp. ground coriander
1 Tsp. cumin
 1/2 tsp. paprika
pinch of dried red pepper flakes
salt and pepper to taste
3-4 tsp. of fresh lemon juice

Directions.
1. Mix all of the ingredients together in a small bowl. Cover and let chill for 30 minutes or up to 24 hours

Mushroom and Goat Cheese Hand Pies

As St. Patrick's Day approaches, I wanted to create a hand pie that was meat free and had all of the comforts of a simple street food when you want a snack and not a large meal. Thus, the mushroom and goat cheese hand pie! This was incredibly simple to make, and you can make it more simple by using a food processor to chop your veggies and using store bought pie dough. Also, if you have an infused olive oil, that will add to the flavor, but plain olive oil will work, too. I used a portabella roasted garlic olive oil in this dish. Enjoy!



Ingredients:
16 oz. mushrooms (any variety) chopped
1 medium onion chopped
4 cloves of garlic chopped
2 Tbsp. olive oil
1 Tsp. Dried Thyme
Salt and pepper
2 pie crusts (store bought is fine)
2 oz. plain goat cheese










Directions:
1.) Preheat oven to 375
2.) Heat olive oil in a large pan over high heat. Add mushrooms, onion, garlic, and thyme, and, while stirring occasionally, cook until most of the moisture has evaporated, about 10 minutes. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Set aside to cool.
3.) Line a baking sheet with foil and spray to prevent sticking. Working with one pie crust at a time, cut out  4 in. circles in the pie crust. Do the same with the other pie crust. You should have 6 circles total.
4.) In the center of each circle, place 1-2 Tbsps. of mushroom mixture. Crumble a bit of the goat cheese on top of the mushroom mixture. Fold the dough in half over the mushroom mixture and cheese, and use your fingers to gently press the edges together. Cut a small slit in the top of the pie to let steam escape. Place on prepared pan.
5.) Bake for 20-30 minutes, until the pies are golden brown and cooked through. Let cool for 10 minutes on a baking rack. Serve warm