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Whipped Lemon Ricotta with Charred Mushrooms

A cool, lemony whipped ricotta topped with hard-charred mushrooms.

Ingredients

Whipped ricotta

  • 2 cups whole-milk ricotta (15 to 16 ounces)
  • 3 tablespoons olive oil
  • 2 tablespoons lemon juice
  • Zest of ½ lemon
  • ½ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Black pepper

Charred mushrooms

  • 1 pound mixed mushrooms (cremini, shiitake, oyster, maitake), torn or sliced into 1-inch pieces
  • 2 tablespoons high heat, neutral cooking oil, more as needed
  • ¾ teaspoon kosher salt
  • Black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon lemon juice
  • To serve
  • Flaky salt
  • Chive blossoms (optional)
  • Good olive oil for drizzling
  • Toasted sliced baguette or seedy crackers

Instructions

  1. Blitz the ricotta, olive oil, lemon juice, lemon zest, salt, and pepper in a food processor for 60 to 90 seconds, scraping down the sides, until smooth and airy. Transfer to a serving bowl, cover, refrigerate at least 1 hour and up to 24 hours. Pull from the fridge 15 minutes before plating with mushrooms.
  2. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large cast-iron or stainless skillet over high heat until shimmering and almost smoking.
  3. Add mushrooms in a single layer (work in batches, adding more oil as needed). Season with salt and pepper. Cook undisturbed 3 to 4 minutes until deeply browned. Toss and continue cooking 4 to 5 minutes until charred and tender. Allow the mushrooms to rest for at least 30 minutes before plating the mushrooms with ricotta.
  4. Stir the ricotta and swoosh across the bowl. Pile mushrooms in the center. Drizzle with olive oil, scatter flaky salt and chive blossoms. Serve with toasted bread or crackers.

Notes

  • Whip the ricotta a full 90 seconds for the cloud-like texture. Stop too soon and it stays grainy.
  • Use cast iron or stainless, not nonstick. Nonstick can’t get hot enough to properly char the mushrooms.
  • Char the mushrooms 30 to 90 minutes before serving and hold at room temperature. Hot mushrooms melt the ricotta.
  • If the ricotta is wet, strain in a fine-mesh strainer for 30 minutes before whipping.

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