Pan Fried Quinoa Cakes with Sautéed Spinach, Pumpkin Bisque & White Wine Butter Lobster Mushrooms

Boy oh boy, do I have a good fall recipe for you guys! AG and I were browsing the produce aisle at the grocery store this past weekend and stumbled across the weirdest looking mushroom I've ever seen. Enter the Lobster mushroom. I immediately knew that I wanted to experiment with it, but didn't want to spend hours in the kitchen. I created this recipe to highlight the deliciousness of the mushroom but used shortcuts with some of the other ingredients to cut some time (I borrowed someone else's quinoa cake recipe and used Trader Joe's Pumpkin Bisque as the sauce).

A little more about Lobster mushrooms: They are edible wild mushrooms that grow in the summer and fall in wooded areas throughout North America. They have a color similar to cooked lobster meat or lobster shell and can have a slight seafood-like aroma when cooking. Fully cooked, they have a meaty and dense texture, making them great alternatives to meat.

Pan Fried Quinoa Cakes with Sautéed Spinach, Pumpkin Bisque & White Wine Butter Lobster Mushrooms

Makes 4-6 servings

Ingredients:

• 1 large lobster mushroom (Portobellos would work well, too), washed thoroughly and sliced into 1/2" slices
• Quinoa cakes (see the recipe here)
• 2-3 large handfuls baby spinach
• Trader Joe's Pumpkin Bisque (or Pumpkin Bisque of your choice - you could also make your own) 
• 14 ounces drained and pressed extra firm tofu
• 4 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 medium shallot, thinly sliced 
• 3 tablespoons butter
• 1/2 cup white wine (I used an oaky Chardonnay)

Instructions:

1. Preheat oven to 400𐩑F. Drain and press tofu by wrapping with a kitchen towel or paper towels and placing something heavy on it (like a pan or heavy cook book) for 15 minutes. This will remove extra moisture and will ensure the tofu will be crispy.
2. Slice tofu into 1" thick slices. Line on a slightly oiled baking sheet and season with salt, pepper and garlic powder. Bake for 25-30 minutes, flipping halfway through, until crispy and golden brown.
3. While tofu is baking, sauté the shallot in 2 tablespoons butter on medium-low heat for about 4 minutes, or until tender. Add the garlic and cook until soft and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the mushrooms and remaining 1 tablespoon butter to the pan and sauté until the mushrooms are soft and cooked throughout, about 8-10 minutes. Pour in the wine, stirring occasionally, and let simmer on low heat until a sauce forms. 
4. In a separate pan, sauté the spinach with some extra virgin olive oil over medium heat until wilted - about 3 minutes. Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper. 
5. Heat the pumpkin bisque (you could do it in a pot on the stovetop or, be lazy like me and just microwave in a large glass measuring cup).
6. To plate, top theprepared quinoa cakes with the sautéed spinach, a generous ladleful of the bisque and top with the mushrooms (you could even add some parmesan cheese). I sprinkled the crispy garlic and shallots over everything and it was amazing. Serve with the roasted tofu on the side.

Enjoy!