Charred Oyster Mushrooms with Fava-Pea Skordalia, Crushed New Potatoes & Pickled Cherries
Greek-inspired early-summer vegan plate with bold, elegant contrast.
Daily recipe · June 01, 2026
A little about this dish
This dish leans Greek without falling into the usual salad-or-souvlaki lane: charred oyster mushrooms are torn into meaty ribbons and layered over lemony crushed new potatoes, then finished with a vivid fava-pea skordalia and quick-pickled cherries for a sweet-tart pop. Early-summer ingredients keep it seasonal, while dill, mint, capers, and good olive oil make it feel bright, savory, and dramatic on the plate.
Ingredients (for 2)
- Oyster mushrooms — 10.5 oz — trimmed and torn into large strips
- Fresh or frozen shelled fava beans — 1 cup — blanched if fresh
- Frozen peas — 1 cup — thawed
- New potatoes — 14 oz — halved if large
- Cherries — 1 cup — pitted and halved
- Garlic — 2 cloves — 1 clove grated raw and 1 clove left whole
- Lemon — 1 whole — zested and juiced
- Capers — 2 tbsp — drained
- Fresh dill — 3 tbsp — roughly chopped
- Fresh mint — 2 tbsp — torn
- Red wine vinegar — 3 tbsp
- Maple syrup — 1 tsp
- Chili flakes — 1/4 tsp
- Toasted almonds — 3 tbsp — roughly chopped
- Extra-virgin olive oil — 5 tbsp — divided
- Kosher salt — to taste
- Black pepper — to taste
Preparation
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Step 1 — 🍒🥣✨Put the cherries in a small bowl with red wine vinegar, maple syrup, chili flakes, and a pinch of kosher salt. Toss well and let sit for at least 15 minutes.
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Step 2 — 🥔💧🔥Cook the new potatoes in well-salted boiling water for 12 to 15 minutes, until tender. Drain well and let them steam dry for 1 minute.
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Step 3 — 🫘♨️👌If needed, blanch the fava beans in boiling water for 1 to 2 minutes, then remove their outer skins. Skip this step if they are already peeled.
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Step 4 — 🫛🍋⚙️In a food processor, blend the fava beans, peas, whole garlic clove, 2 tablespoons olive oil, 2 tablespoons lemon juice, half the lemon zest, kosher salt, and black pepper until mostly smooth with a little texture.
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Step 5 — 🥔🥄🌿Return the drained potatoes to the pot. Add 1 tablespoon olive oil, half the fresh dill, a pinch of kosher salt, black pepper, and 1 teaspoon lemon juice. Lightly crush so they crack but still hold their shape.
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Step 6 — 🍄🧄🔥Heat a large skillet or grill pan over high heat. Toss the oyster mushrooms with 1 tablespoon olive oil, the grated garlic clove, kosher salt, and black pepper.
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Step 7 — 🍄🍳🫒Cook the mushrooms in a single layer for 2 to 3 minutes per side until browned and charred at the edges. Add the capers for the last 30 seconds so they crisp slightly.
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Step 8 — 🌀🥔🍽️Spoon and swirl the fava-pea puree onto plates, then arrange the crushed potatoes over the top.
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Step 9 — 🍒🌿🥜Pile on the charred mushrooms, then scatter over the pickled cherries, crisped capers, remaining dill, fresh mint, toasted almonds, and the rest of the lemon zest.
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Step 10 — 🫒🧂🍴Drizzle with the remaining extra-virgin olive oil and finish with kosher salt and black pepper to taste. Serve warm or slightly above room temperature.
A final fox tip
If fava beans are hard to find, use all peas and add 1 tbsp tahini for extra body. For even more color, finish with thinly sliced radishes or pea shoots. This kind of layered warm-cool plating is fantastic for photos: use a wide plate, leave negative space, and spoon the cherry pickling liquid sparingly for jewel-toned shine.