Miso Roasted Oyster Mushrooms

I used to hate mushrooms, more on principle than anything else - their texture was weirdly squishy, and I was not about to put a fungus anywhere near my mouth.  Eating a whole plate of them, like the one pictured above, was pretty far from anything I'd even consider.

It wasn't until I tried a steak pita from a local Mediterranean restaurant, where the beef was sauteed with onions and mushrooms, that I started to notice just how much savory flavor they added.  I picked them out then, but I could at least see what all the fuss was about.

I still don't love the texture now, but I gradually started eating them in more contexts until I got used to it and was consistently impressed at just how much meaty umami flavor came out of them when cooked (it's still a mystery to me why people eat raw mushrooms though).  Our local Korean market will often cook them up with soy sauce and sesame oil as a sample, and I became determined to create an equally savory bite.

While soy sauce makes for a great accompaniment to meaty mushrooms, miso is another excellent option as its salty, fermented funk lends a nice depth to everything it touches.  The same seasoning would taste great on a variety of vegetables like zucchini or eggplant, but pairing it with mushrooms' natural savoriness makes for an extra special treat.

Miso Roasted Oyster Mushrooms
1 package oyster mushrooms (about 2 cups)
1 tbsp yellow miso
1 tsp mirin
1 tsp sesame oil
1/4 tsp white sesame seeds
1/4 tsp black sesame seeds

Preheat oven to 400°F.  Wash and separate oyster mushrooms into individual pieces and lay out on lined baking sheet.  

Stir together miso, mirin, and sesame oil until combined into a thick but spreadable paste.  Brush over mushrooms until thoroughly coated - you may need to massage them with your hands a little bit in order to make sure they're all covered.  

Place mushrooms in over and roast for 8 minutes or until mushrooms are golden brown and just starting to crisp around edges.  Top with both kinds of sesame seeds and serve immediately.