Sesame Marinated Mushrooms with Wilted Spinach, Black Garlic Aioli and Roasted Turnips

• Remove the stems from the shiitakes and then cut them into bite sized pieces. Set aside.
• Keep the oyster mushrooms whole unless they are very large, in that case cut them in half. If the bottoms of the stems feel tough, trim them off. Set aside.
• For the shimeji mushrooms remove the bottom half inch or so until the individual mushrooms fall apart. Set aside.
• In a sauté pan on medium-high to high, roast your mushrooms with a little vegetable oil until they are browned a bit and cooked through (about 8-12 minutes).
• Deglaze with a splash of dry white wine and season lightly with salt and pepper.
• Transfer to a sheet lined with parchment and let them cool in the fridge.
• In a blender, combine the rice vinegar, Dijon mustard, and roasted garlic and blend on high until smooth.
• Drop to medium and slowly incorporate the sesame oil and vegetable oil. Transfer to a container with a lid and add the shallots.
• Once your mushrooms are cooled, dress them with your marinade and let them sit for at least 20 minutes.

• Prepare an ice bath by filling a large bowl with ice and cold water. Fill a large pot with generously salted water and bring it to a rolling boil.
• Add the spinach leaves to your boiling pot of salted boiling water for 30 seconds then transfer immediately to the ice bath.
• After the spinach as cooled, 1-2 minutes or until cool to the touch, remove them from the ice bath and squeeze out all the excess water.
• Season with good olive oil and kosher salt.

• Cut your turnips into bite sized pieces. Chef recommends Tokyo turnips because they are small and have great flavor, if using cut them into quarters lengthwise.
• In a sauté pan on medium-high to high, roast your turnips with a little vegetable oil until they are browned a bit and cooked through (about 8-12 minutes).
• Deglaze with a splash of mirin (or dry white wine) and season lightly with salt and pepper.
• Transfer to a sheet lined with parchment and let them cool in the fridge.

• First prepare your black garlic. Place your black garlic in a small bowl and bring a half cup of water to boil.
• Pour your boiling water over the black garlic and let sit for 10 minutes or until they become very soft. Strain the water off and discard.
• Add the egg yolks, rice wine vinegar, soften black garlic, and Dijon mustard to a blender and blend until smooth.
• With the blender on medium, slowly drizzle in the sesame and vegetable oils until the aioli thickens. If you want a thicker, mayo-like consistency add a little more oil until you reach the desired thickness. Season with salt and pepper to taste.

On a warm plate, spread a generous amount of Black Garlic Aioli. Place the Sesame Marinated Mushrooms on top. Garnish with a spoonful of Roasted Turnips and Wilted Spinach. Serve immediately with a glass of Merlot.