Sautéed Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon thyme leaves dried
• 1 pound mushrooms fresh assorted
• 2 tablespoons olive oil 
• 8 servings salt and pepper 
• 0.3 cup shallots chopped

Equipment

• bowl
• frying pan

Directions

1. Trim and discard tough or discolored stem ends and any bruised spots or blemishes from mushrooms. (If you're using shiitakes, remove their entire stems.)
2. For firm mushrooms, wipe dirt off with a damp cloth or rinse thoroughly under cool running water and pat dry.
3. For delicate mushrooms with lots of places for dirt to hide, submerge in a bowl of cool water and gently agitate with your hands to loosen any particles.
4. Drain, rinse thoroughly under running water, and gently pat dry.
5. Slice large, fat mushrooms about 1/4 inch thick; cut thin ones into bite-size pieces; leave small ones whole.
6. Pour olive oil into a 12-inch frying pan or 5- to 6-quart pan over high heat; add mushrooms, shallots, and thyme and stir often until mushrooms are browned, 8 to 10 minutes.
7. Add salt and pepper to taste.