Malara Gardens, Farmers Market Arvada, CO (Sat. 11:30-3:00pm) Featuring top quality local produce, Garden, and Fine foods - Since 1957
Malara Gardens



Malara Gardens, Farmers Market
Arvada, CO (Sat. 11:30-3:00pm)
Featuring top quality local produce,
Garden, and Fine foods - Since 1957

New England Mushroom Chowder 

Shiitake and Pearl Oyster Mushrooms

Ingredients

  • Shiitake and Oyster Mushrooms (dried, 50/50) 2 oz
  • Water (hot) 8 cups
  • Olive Oil 3 oz
  • Onions (diced) 6 cups
  • Celery (diced) 6 cups
  • Assorted Potatoes (diced) 12 cups
  • White Wine 4 oz
  • Flour ½ cup
  • Milk or Milk Substitute 8 oz
  • Kosher Salt to taste
  • Black Pepper (coarse) to taste

Instructions

Rehydrate Your Mushrooms

  1. Place dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with hot water.
  2. Let soak for 15–20 minutes until tender.
  3. Strain through fine mesh, reserve liquid.
  4. Rough chop mushrooms and set aside.

Build Flavor

  1. Heat olive oil in a large soup pot over med- low.
  2. Add onions and cook until soft and transparent.
  3. Add celery and continue cooking until fragrant.
  4. Add chopped mushrooms and sauté 3–4 minutes.
  5. Season lightly with salt and pepper as you go.

Add Body

  1. Add diced potatoes and stir to coat with vegetables.
  2. Pour in white wine and cook until reduced by half.
  3. Sprinkle flour over mixture, stir well to form roux; cook 1 minute.
  4. Gradually add reserved mushroom liquid and remaining water, stirring to avoid lumps.
  5. Simmer gently until potatoes are tender and broth thickens slightly.

Finish & Adjust

  1. Stir in milk or substitute off heat.
  2. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Serve

ENJOY!!


Cream of Mushroom Soup 

Pearl Oyster Mushrooms

Ingredients

  • Dried Pearl Oyster Mushrooms 2 oz
  • Water (hot) 2 pints
  • Olive Oil 2 oz
  • Yellow Onion (diced) ½ med
  • Garlic (minced) 1 Tbsp
  • White Wine 3 oz
  • Flour ? cup
  • Kosher Salt 1 Tbsp
  • Black Pepper ½ tsp
  • Green Onion (chopped) ¼ cup

Instructions

Rehydrate Your Mushrooms

  1. Place dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with hot water.
  2. Let soak for 15–20 minutes until tender.
  3. Strain through fine mesh, reserve liquid.
  4. Rough chop mushrooms and set aside.

Build Flavor

  1. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan over med- low.
  2. Add onion and cook until caramelized and transparent.
  3. Add garlic and chopped mushrooms, sauté 3–4 minutes.
  4. Season with salt and pepper as you go.

Deglaze & Thicken

  1. Add white wine and reduce by half.
  2. Sprinkle flour and stir to form roux; cook 1 minute.
  3. Add reserved mushroom liquid gradually.
  4. Simmer gently until soup thickens and coats the spoon.

Finish & Adjust

  1. Stir in green onion off heat.
  2. Add Milk, 1/2 and 1/2, or vegetarian substitute to your preference.
  3. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Serve

ENJOY!!


Patty Pan with Cream Sauce 

Portabella Mushrooms

Ingredients

  • Dried Portabella Mushrooms 2 oz
  • Water (hot) 6 cups
  • Olive Oil 2 tbs
  • Yellow Onion (diced) 4 oz
  • Garlic (minced) 2 cloves
  • Patty Pan Squash (sliced) 16 oz
  • White Wine 1/2 cup
  • Heavy Cream 1 cup
  • Kosher Salt 1 tsp
  • Black Pepper 1/2 tsp

Instructions

Rehydrate Your Mushrooms

  1. Place dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with hot water.
  2. Let soak for 15–20 minutes until tender.
  3. Strain through fine mesh, reserve liquid.
  4. Rough chop mushrooms and set aside.

Build Flavor

  1. Heat olive oil in a large sauté pan.
  2. Add onion and cook until translucent.
  3. Add garlic and chopped mushrooms, sauté 3–4 minutes.
  4. Add squash and season with salt and pepper.
  5. Cook until squash is just tender.

Deglaze & Simmer

  1. Add white wine and reduce by half.
  2. Add reserved mushroom liquid and heavy cream.
  3. Simmer gently until sauce thickens and coats the squash.

Finish & Adjust

  1. Taste and adjust salt and pepper.

Serve

ENJOY!!


Spanish Rice with Mushrooms 

Pearl Oyster Mushrooms

Ingredients

  • Dried Pearl Oyster Mushrooms 1 oz
  • Water (hot) 3 cups + extra for soaking
  • Olive Oil 2 tbs
  • Basmati Rice 1 1/2 cups
  • Yellow Onion (diced) 1 small
  • Garlic (minced) 3 cloves
  • Hatch Chilis (seeded and chopped) 2
  • Crushed Tomatoes 1 cup
  • Madeira Wine 1/2 cup
  • Kosher Salt 1 tsp
  • Fresh Basil (chopped) 1/4 cup

Instructions

Rehydrate Your Mushrooms

  1. Put dried mushrooms in a bowl and cover with hot water. Push down gently.
  2. Let soak for 20 minutes until tender.
  3. Strain through fine mesh, reserve liquid.
  4. Rough chop mushrooms and set aside.

Toast the Rice

  1. Heat olive oil in a medium saucepan.
  2. Add rice and stir until lightly golden and aromatic.
  3. Remove rice and set aside.

Build Flavor

  1. In the same pan, add onion and sauté until translucent.
  2. Add garlic and Hatch chilis, cook until fragrant.
  3. Add chopped mushrooms and sauté 2–3 minutes.
  4. Deglaze with Madeira wine and reduce by half.

Simmer

  1. Add crushed tomatoes, reserved mushroom liquid, and salt. Bring to a simmer.
  2. Add toasted rice, stir once, cover, and reduce heat.
  3. Cook 15–18 minutes until rice is tender and liquid is absorbed.

Finish & Adjust

  1. Remove from heat and let sit covered for 5 minutes.
  2. Fluff with fork, fold in fresh basil.
  3. Adjust salt if needed.

Serve

ENJOY!!


Chili con Hongos (Mushrooms) 

Porcini and Lion's Mane Mushrooms

Ingredients

  • Porcini Mushrooms 1/3 oz
  • Lion's Mane Mushrooms 2/3 oz
  • Water (boiling) 4 cups
  • Olive Oil (high temp) 1/2 cup
  • Onions (diced) 2 med.
  • Tomatoes (diced) 2 large
  • Garlic (minced) 1 tbs
  • Cumin Seed (crushed) 1/2 tsp
  • Chili Powder 1/4 cup
  • Salt 1 1/2 tsp
  • Pepper 1/3 tsp
  • Madera Wine 2 oz
  • Black Beans 12 oz
  • Cocoa Powder (optional) 2 tsp
  • Green Onions (chopped) 1/4 cup

Instructions

Rehydrate Your Mushrooms

  1. Start by putting the dried mushrooms in a bowl, add the boiling water on top and push it down and toss gently in the water, let rehydrate for 15 minutes.
  2. (Porcini are wild harvested and may have some remaining sand or grit, this will float to the bottom of our broth.)
  3. After 15 minutes we're gonna take out our mushrooms from the liquid, being careful to not disturb the bottom of the broth.
  4. Put the mushrooms on a cutting board and rough chop them.

Build Flavor

  1. In a pan, put oil, and heat till smoking hot. add in your mushrooms and onions, sauté till the onions are transparent.
  2. Add in your cumin and chili powder, do not burn!
  3. Add in your 1/2 of the Madera wine, and reduce down.
  4. Add in your garlic, tomatoes, some of your salt and pepper, a little more oil, and sauté until the tomatoes are soft (3–5 min.).

Integrate Ingredients

  1. Add in your beans, crush 20% with the back of a large spoon.
  2. Add 50% of your broth from rehydration (decant— pour gently off the top, careful not to disturb the sediment), then simmer for 5 min.

Finish & Adjust

  1. Add in your green onions, sauté for less than a minute before serving.
  2. Adjust your Salt and Pepper.

Serve

Serve with shredded cheese, sour cream, Pico de Gallo, Tortillas, ETC...
ENJOY!!

Oyster Mushroom Fried Rice 

Valentine, Golden, and Pearl Oyster Mushrooms

Ingredients

  • Valentine Oyster 1/3 oz
  • Golden Oyster 1/3 oz
  • Pearl Oyster 1/3 oz
  • Water (boiling) 4 cups
  • Olive Oil (high temp) 1/2 cup
  • Onions (diced) 3/4 cup
  • Garlic (minced) 1 tbs
  • Ginger (minced) 1 tsp
  • Salt 1 1/2 tsp
  • Pepper 1/3 tsp
  • Sherry Wine 2 oz
  • Soy Sauce or Tamari 1 1/2 oz
  • Sesame Oil 1–2 tsp
  • Green Onions (chopped) 1/4 cup

Instructions

Rehydrate Your Mushrooms

  1. Start by putting the dried mushrooms in a bowl, add the boiling water on top and push it down in the water a little bit, let rehydrate for 15 minutes.
  2. After 15 minutes we're gonna take out our mushrooms from the liquid and put them on a cutting board and rough chop them.

Build Flavor

  1. In a pan, put oil, and heat till smoking hot. add in your mushrooms and onions, sauté till the onions are transparent.
  2. Add in your garlic, ginger, some of your salt and pepper and sauté a few minutes.
  3. Add in your 1/2 of the sherry wine, and reduce down.

Integrate Ingredients

  1. Add in your rice, and a little more oil and sauté a few minutes more.
  2. Add in your remaining sherry, soy sauce, and sesame oil.

Finish & Adjust

  1. Add in your green onions, sauté for less than a minute more.
  2. Adjust your Salt and Pepper.

Serve

ENJOY!!

Summer Vegetables & Mushrooms 

Blue & Yellow Oyster Mushrooms

Ingredients

  • Blue Oyster Mushrooms (dried) 1/2 oz
  • Yellow Oyster Mushrooms (dried) 1/2 oz
  • Water (boiling) 4 cups
  • Olive Oil (high temp) 1/2 cup
  • Onion (diced) 1 cup
  • Bell Peppers (any color, diced) 1 cup
  • Zucchini (half-moons) 1 cup
  • Summer Squash (half-moons) 1 cup
  • Garlic (minced) 1 tbsp
  • Tomato (chopped) 1 large
  • White Wine 2 oz
  • Fresh Basil (chopped) 1/4 cup
  • Salt 1 1/2 tsp
  • Pepper 1/3 tsp

Instructions

Rehydrate Your Mushrooms

  1. Place dried blue and yellow oysters in a bowl.
  2. Pour boiling water over, press gently down, and let sit for 15 minutes.
  3. After 15 minutes, lift mushrooms out and transfer to a cutting board.
  4. Rough chop and set aside. You won’t need the broth in this recipe, but save it if you want for rice or soup.

Sauté the Vegetables

  1. In a large pan, heat olive oil until smoking hot.
  2. Add chopped mushrooms and onions. Sauté until onions are transparent, stirring occasionally.
  3. Add peppers, zucchini, and squash. Cook for 3–5 minutes, just until the veggies start to soften.

Build Flavor

  1. Add garlic and tomato. Sauté until tomatoes release liquid, about 2–3 minutes.
  2. Add half of your white wine and reduce until almost dry.

Finish and Adjust

  1. Add the remaining wine, fresh basil, salt, and pepper.
  2. Sauté for 1 more minute. Taste and adjust salt and pepper if needed.

Serve

Use as a side, taco filling, or light main over rice or beans. You can garnish with extra basil or a squeeze of lemon if you like.


Green Chili with Lion’s Mane Mushrooms 

Ingredients

  • Lion’s Mane Mushrooms (dried) 1 oz
  • Water (boiling) 4 cups
  • Olive Oil (high temp) 1/2 cup
  • Onion (diced) 1 cup
  • Fire-Roasted Hatch Chiles (peeled, chopped) 3 medium
  • Poblano Peppers (chopped) 2 medium
  • Garlic (minced) 1 tbsp
  • Habanero (minced) 1 small (optional, for heat)
  • Chili Powder 1/4 cup
  • Cumin Seed (crushed) 1 tsp
  • Crushed Tomato 1 cup
  • White Wine 2 oz
  • Cornstarch Slurry (light solution) 1 tbsp
  • Green Onion (chopped) 1/4 cup
  • Salt 1 1/2 tsp
  • Pepper 1/3 tsp
  • Cherries (minced) 1 tbsp (optional—for balance)

Instructions

Rehydrate the Mushrooms

  1. Place Lion’s Mane in a bowl.
  2. Pour boiling water over and let soak for 15 minutes.
  3. Lift mushrooms out gently and rough chop. Set aside.

Build the Base

  1. In a wide pan, heat olive oil until smoking hot.
  2. Add chopped mushrooms and onions. Sauté until onions are transparent.
  3. Add Hatch chiles, and habanero (if using). Sauté for 3 minutes until peppers soften.

Spice & Simmer

  1. Add garlic, chili powder, and crushed cumin seed. Stir gently to bloom the spices—don’t scorch.
  2. Pour in 1½ to 2 cups reserved Lion’s Mane mushroom broth from rehydration. (Rich in umami, this broth is your secret depth-builder.)
  3. Add crushed tomatoes.
  4. Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat.
  5. Make light cornstarch slurry, temper some hot mixture into cornstarch, then add into chili, and incorporate quickly .
  6. Simmer for 3–5 minutes until the chili thickens with a silky texture.

Finish & Adjust

  1. Add green onions, salt, pepper, and cherries (if using).
  2. Sauté less than a minute. Taste and adjust seasoning.

Serve

Use as a main dish over rice or beans, stuff into tortillas, or pair with sour cream and cheese. Great for lunch service or next-day reheat.