European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 20, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Mushrooms mushrooms add up to a booming Industry. Here a handful Are harvested at a mine in Pennsylvania. In Praise of by Marian Burros new York times there is a residual belief that pasta along with potatoes and bread is As fattening Abutter and  an ounce of pasta has no More calories than an ounce of Chicken. Protein found in Chicken and carbohydrates in pasta each provide Only 4 calories per Gram. Fat found in butter on the other hand provides 9 calories per Gram. Pasta bread and potatoes probably earned their reputations from the things that accompany them butter on the bread sour Cream on the potatoes and cheese and Oil on the pasta. Things got so bad at one time that the potato Industry took out an advertisement in an Effort to set the record straight. I am not fattening bellowed a maligned potato. Carbohydrates especially the starchy ones like pasta and potatoes provide a feeling of satiety both physiologically and psychologically. In other words they stick to your ribs. A plateful of Linguine and oysters makes you feel full without loading you up with fat and calories. It can be More satisfying than a Steak dinner or a tuna salad. Now no one has said pasta is the perfect food. It does not have Many nutrients but that is easy to remedy by adding a sauce. Two ounces of dried pasta have about 200 calories. By Barbara Hansen i los Angeles times a Merica s appetite for mushrooms is booming. The annual National Harvest has grown to 615 million pounds. Exotic types such As slender Enoki meaty fresh Shiitake and the Pale Oyster mushroom Are becoming widespread. And new mushrooms Are on the Way. Imagine if you can Pale Pink and Bright yellow Oyster mushrooms. The demand for this almost fat free food has boosted sales by 300 percent in the last 10 years. Prices for such expensive varieties As fresh Shiitake and Oyster mushrooms have dropped 30 percent to 40 percent from four years ago. And the common Domestic White mushroom costs less at the retail level now than it did three years ago. If the words fat free jumped out at you Here Are the supporting figures according to nutritional Labelling information approved by the food and drug administration two thirds cup fresh whole mushrooms contains one Gram fat two Grams carbohydrate one Gram protein 200 milligrams crude fiber 140 milligrams potassium and no sodium. If you eat the whole two -. Thirds cup you will have ingested 14 calories. The mushroom Industry started in Pennsylvania which is still the leading producer and has spread to 29 states. It is a regional business with distribution usually extending about 250 Miles from the production Point. In Reading pa., a considerable share of whatever mushrooms Are available is snapped up by Joe s restaurant which is operated by mushroom aficionado Jack Czarnecki. Here almost every dish includes mushrooms allowing fungi fans to experience heaven for the duration of a meal. But Czarnecki is More than a chef. He also holds a degree in bacteriology from the University of California Davis is a life member of the North american mycological association which is composed of Amateur students of fungi and has written Joe s Book of mushroom cookery. In the Book Czarnecki dispenses a lot of mushroom lore along with recipes that Range from Joe s pickled Martini mushrooms to a chapter of mushroom less desserts created by his wife Heidi. Czarnecki figures he has tasted More than 500 varieties of wild mushrooms and admits that he is passionately in love with the cepe. It has the Best All Over flavor he said. However he is Loyal to the domesticated product. Czarnecki would like to Correct some false ideas about mushrooms misconception no. 1 mushrooms should be fat and cholesterol Are negligible and there is very Little sodium. Most Domestic dried pasta products Are enriched with b vitamins and Iron although cooking destroys much of the b vitamins. If you do not want to lose most of Riboflavin even before you put the pasta on to boil forget those attractive Glass pasta containers Riboflavin is Light sensitive and 50 percent of it May be gone in two Days if the pasta is displayed in the Kitchen. Now that the myths about pasta have been dispensed with let us turn to the real culprit the sauce. Yes of course the sauce is guilty swimming in Olive Oil drowning in Cream and butter or hidden under layers of cheese. Equally appealing healthful sauces for pasta Are perfect when you want to make a meal in less than 20 minutes. Certain strategic substitutions will get rid of most of the fat. Instead of Cream use non fat Yogurt or Low fat cottage cheese to produce a Rich alternative. Vast quantities of Oil Aren t necessary for a Fine sauce. Even Olive Oil has to be used sparingly. While the first pasta sauce Many of us ate was probably meat or sausage equally flavorful sauces Are made with vegetables. And cheese can be just As effective if sprinkled on lightly instead of dumped on by the cup. The principles of healthful pasta sauces Are incorporated in the following recipes. All you need to Complete these simple meals is a salad and for those who really want to Load up on carbohydrates some bread. Generously seasoned with Lemon juice. Just the opposite is True Czarnecki said. High acid overwhelms the flavor. A Small amount Points it up. Misconception no. 2 mushrooms with open Caps should be avoided. In actuality they May have Richer flavor. Test this by allowing mushrooms with tight Caps to age several Days in the refrigerator until the Caps open the mushrooms will also Darken. Then Cook them and see if you can taste a difference. Misconception no. 3 mushrooms should be wiped with a dry cloth and not cleansed with water. Again not True. Nothing quite cleans them like water Czarnecki said As he rinsed a Coland Erful that was headed for the soup pot. However the rinsing should take place just before the mushrooms Are used. Misconception no. 4 the liquid Given off by mushrooms As they Are sauteed should be discarded. The idea is to get the True mushroom flavor Czarnecki said and much of that lies in the liquid. Czarnecki began the preparation of his mushroom soup by slowly sweating mushroom Caps to obtain tasty liquid that would highlight the dish. He seasoned the soup with Curry powder then added More exotic asian seasonings such As thai hot sauce to a spicy beef and sausage Stew. Czarnecki used White mushrooms in the soup and Stew then coated Oyster mushrooms with Batter and Fried them for appetizers. An unusual but effective combination included fresh Shiitake mushrooms pineapple plantains Sweet red Pepper and Cilantro in a dish inspired by the Caribbean. Quick curried mushroom soup 2 pounds White mushrooms1 /4 cup water 1 medium onion sliced Viz Inch thick 2 Tablespoons soy sauce 2 cups half and half1 /4 Teaspoon sugar 1 Tablespoon Curry powder 1 Tablespoon White wine vinegar 1 Teaspoon paprika1 /4 Teaspoon sugar Salt sour Cream optional separate mushroom stems from Caps. Place water in Large Saucepan and add Caps. Bring to boil. Reduce heat to simmer. Add onion cover and Cook about 5 minutes until mushrooms have released their liquid. Meanwhile Combine mushroom stems soy sauce 1 3 cup half and half Curry powder vinegar paprika and sugar in blender and blend until smooth. If mixture is too thick to blend add Little More half and half. Add boiled eggplant cheese and Tomato sauce with Green noodles preparation time 15 minutes cooking time 25 minutes 1 Large eggplant about 11/4 pounds 6 to 9 ounces Green noodles 1 Tablespoon Olive Oil 1 Clove garlic peeled and minced 1 Large onion peeled and chopped 4 ounces mushrooms thinly sliced 2 Tablespoons chopped Parsley 1/z Teaspoon dried oregano 1 Teaspoon dried Basil 28-ounce can Tomato Puree no Salt added freshly ground Black Pepper to taste 4 ounces Sharp cheese such As Cheddar or provolone sliced very thin. Bring 3 quarts of water to boil for the noodles. Preheat the broiler. Wash the eggplant and slice off and discard both ends. Cut it into slices a Inch thick and place on a broiler . Broil on each Side until the slices Are browned. Total broiling time should be about 10 minutes. Cook the noodles according to package directions and Drain. Meanwhile heat the Oil in Large Skillet and saute the garlic and onion until the onion softens. Add the mushrooms and saute one or two minutes longer. Add Parsley oregano Basil and Tomato Puree. Cook Over Low heat 5 minutes or longer until eggplant is browned. Season with Pepper. Arrange eggplant slices in a single layer in shallow Ovenproof baking dish. Top with noodles. Cover with cheese slices and Tomato sauce. Bake at 450 degrees for 10 minutes to melt cheese and heat the dish through. Yield 3 Servings. A worker checks out a mine mushroom crop. Not Puree and remaining half and half to Saucepan. Cook until heated through. Add Salt if necessary. Ladle into bowls and Garnish with Dollop of Creme Fraiche or sour Cream just before serving. Makes 4 to 6 Servings. Phoenix Pritters 18 Large Oyster mushrooms 1/3 cup half and half 1 egg 1 Teaspoon soy sauce 1/2 cup flour 1/2 Teaspoon Salt dash Cayenne Pepper 4 cups Corn Oil clean mushrooms of any dirt at base of Stem. Beat together half and half egg and soy sauce. Add flour Salt and Cayenne and beat until smooth. Heat Oil to 360 degrees. Submerge mushrooms in Batter 4 at time but keep separated. Drain and place in hot Oil 1 at time. Fry until Golden Brown. Drain on paper towels. Serve at once As appetizer. Makes 4 to 6 Servings. Jack s spicy beef casserole 5 ounces polish sausage thinly sliced 12 to 14 White mushroom Caps sliced 2 Green onions sliced 1 cup Strong unsalted beef or veal Stock 1 cup red wine 6 Tablespoons Oyster sauce 1 Teaspoon thai hot sauce or Domestic hot Pepper sauce 11/2 Tablespoons arrowroot1 /4 cup water 1 pounds tenderloin tips or other lean tender meat Cut into 1-Inch chunks Combine sausage mushrooms Green onions Stock wine Oyster sauce and hot sauce in Large Saucepan. Bring to boil and stir to Combine. Simmer 5 minutes. Combine a cup water soy sauce vinegar Brown sugar Cayenne and cornstarch in Small bowl. Stir to blend and set aside. In Large Skillet saute Green onions and garlic in Olive Oil Over medium heat 30 seconds. Add mushrooms and Cook 2 minutes. If no liquid emerges from Mushi corns add 2 Tablespoons water. Add pineapple red Pepper and banana or plantain. Cover and simmer 5 minutes. Add Cilantro and simmer 1 minute longer. Add soy sauce mixture slowly stirring constantly and Cook until thickened. Serve at once. Makes 4 to 6 Servings. Pasta with mushrooms and scallops 2 Tablespoons Olive Oil 1 Tablespoon butter or Margarine 1/4 Pound Shiitake mushrooms sliced 1 Pound scallops a cup dry Sherry or White wine 1 Tablespoon chopped fresh Dill or 1 Teaspoon dried Dill Weed 1 Teaspoon grated Lemon peel1 /4 cup whipping Cream 1/4 cup grated Parmesan cheese Salt Pepper 1/4 Pound Linguine or other pasta cooked and drained heat half of Oil and butter in non stick Skillet Over High heat. Add mushrooms and saute until just tender. Remove and Reserve. Heat remaining Oil and butter in Skillet. Add scallops and Cook until opaque 2 to 4 minutes. Remove with slotted spoon and Reserve. Add Sherry Dill and Lemon Peel to juices in Skillet and Cook until reduced by a third. Stir in Cream and cheese heating to melt cheese. Return mushrooms and scallops to Skillet and toss to coat with sauce. Season to taste with Salt and Pepper. Serve warm Over hot pasta. Makes 4 Servings. Page 14 the stars and stripes Friday january 20,1989 the stars and stripes Page 15