Ingredients:
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, chopped
5 baby eggplants, cut into 1 1/2-inch planks
1 1/2 lbs oyster mushrooms, stem removed and separated into small pieces
1 lb baby spinach
1 1/2 tablespoons sambal oelek

Directions:

Saute the garlic, onion, and eggplant in a small amount of oil in a large skillet until the onion softens. Add the remaining ingredients. Saute 2-4 minutes. Cover for 5 minutes to allow the spinach to wilt. Uncover and saute until everything is fully cooked. Serve immediately.

My thoughts:

We bought 3 lbs of oyster mushrooms at the mushroom festival this year. This was the first year we’ve seen them offered in such a large quantity so we couldn’t resist. They spoil a bit more quickly than the portobellos we normally buy at the festival so we had a couple of days that were very mushroom filled. I love oyster mushrooms because they are meaty and flavorful and add a lot of body and texture to the dish. We picked up some lovely eggplant at a farm store on our way back from Pennsylvania so I made this quick side dish. It was so good! I can’t wait to make it again.  If you want a meatless meal (vegan even!) serve this over rice rather than as a side dish, it is totally hardy enough to be an entree.