Italian Mushrooms

Ron and I went to Newport Beach last week to have dinner with long time friends Mark and Lisa.  We went to an Italian restaurant in Crystal Cove Shopping Center, called Modo Mio.  If you know the area, it's the shopping center that also houses Mastro's.  Anyway, we had a delicious dinner at Modo Mio and enjoyed catching up with Mark and Lisa.  Prior to our meal arriving, the chef sent over a platter of mushrooms in lemon juice and olive oil.  It was delicious, and just the perfect way to start a meal on a warm, summer evening.  Went I got home I pulled out an old recipe I had for mushrooms, Italian style, that I used to make as part of an antipasto.  Here's the recipe.

                                                                Mushrooms Italian Style

1/4 cup lemon juice
3 T. minced parsley

2 T. olive oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
salt and pepper to taste

1 pound of mushrooms, cleaned and sliced

Combine first 5 ingredients and set aside.  Put cleaned and cut mushrooms in a bowl, then add the lemon juice/olive oil mixture.  Allow mixture to rest for at least an hour.  Serve with crusty bread as a first course.  Another idea is to clean the mushroom and keep them whole, let them marinate for at least an hour, and serve them as part of an Italian antipasto, with meats, cheese, peppers and olives.  They're delicious either way.  Enjoy.