Recipe: Kasama’s Mushroom Adobo With Garlic

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In this preview of the Eater cookbook, award-winning Chicago restaurant Kasama shares the recipe for a veggie-forward breakfast bowl

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This is an excerpt from Eater’s debut cookbook focusing on a stunning brunch dish to add to your repertoire, care of 2021 Best New Restaurant Kasama in Chicago.

Part Filipino gastropub, part bakery, Kasama has commanding long lines since the day it opened.

Baker and co-owner Genie Kwon is in charge of the pastries, filling the case with jamón-topped éclair-shaped Danishes, croissants stuffed with coconut cream and passion fruit jam, and ube-laced Basque cheesecakes. Her husband, Tim Flores, handles the savory side, serving up a daytime menu that draws from his Filipino heritage; you’ll find shaved pork and longganisa subbed for roast beef and sausage in a riff on an Italian beef combo, and classics like crunchy lumpia and earthy chicken adobo.

Kasama’s mushroom adobo is a brilliant approach to the classic Filipino technique that leans all the way into its umami goodness (for a totally meat-free version, just sub in vegetable stock). With garlic-fried rice and a fried egg, it’s also a low-key megahit.

Serves 4

For the garlic-fried rice: 3 tablespoons vegetable oil 12 cloves garlic, minced 4 cups cooked and cooled white rice Salt and freshly ground black pepper

For the mushrooms: 1 pound mushrooms of your choice (oyster, maitake, beech, and shiitake will all work well individually or mixed) torn or roughly chopped 6 cloves garlic, minced ¼ cup distilled white vinegar or rice wine vinegar ¼ cup soy sauce 1 cup unsalted or low-sodium chicken stock 3 tablespoons dark brown sugar, plus more as needed 2 tablespoons butter Salt

For serving: 4 eggs 1 tablespoon vegetable oil Sliced scallions (optional)

Step 1: To make the garlic-fried rice, in a large wok or skillet, heat the vegetable oil over medium-high heat. Lower the heat to medium and add the minced garlic. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes, until the garlic turns a light golden color. Carefully strain the garlic from the pan, leaving the garlic-infused oil behind. Drain the fried garlic on paper towels until cooled.

Step 2: Add the cooked rice to the garlic oil in the wok, stirring to coat all the grains with oil. Spread the rice out in the wok, covering as much surface area of the hot pan as possible. Let the rice cook, undisturbed, for 3 to 5 minutes. Stir the rice well, then spread it out again and cook, undisturbed, for 3 to 5 minutes more. Continue this process until the rice is cooked to your liking. Season the rice with salt and pepper and set aside.

Step 3: To make the mushrooms, heat a large saute pan over medium-high heat without any oil. Once the pan is warm, add a handful of mushrooms and sear to get some color. Work in batches and be careful not to overcrowd the pan, as the mushrooms will release liquid, and you want them to stay crisp.

Step 4: When the mushrooms are browned, add the garlic and continue to cook until the garlic is golden brown. Add the vinegar, scraping up any browned bits stuck to the pan to incorporate them, and continue cooking until the liquid is reduced by half. Add the soy sauce, chicken stock, and brown sugar to the pan and reduce the sauce by half. Stir in the butter to emulsify the sauce. Season with more brown sugar and salt as needed.

Step 5: In a large skillet over medium-high heat, fry the eggs in a little oil.

Step 6: Serve the mushroom adobo on top of the garlic rice. Place the fried eggs on top. Garnish with the crispy fried garlic and sliced scallions, if using.

Recipe tested by Louiie VictaAdapted from EATER: 100 Essential Restaurant Recipes by Hilary Dixler Canavan. Text and illustrations copyright © Vox Media, LLC. Text by Hilary Dixler Canavan and illustrations by Alice Oehr. Photography copyright © 2023 by Laura Murray. Published by Abrams.

Prices taken at time of publishing.

Introducing Eater’s debut cookbook: Sourced from the best street carts to pillars of fine dining and everywhere in between, this diverse, powerhouse collection features recipes that have been carefully adapted for home cooks. Packed with expert advice from chefs, bartenders, and sommeliers on easy ways to level up your meals at home, Eater: 100 Essential Restaurant Recipes is a must-have for anyone who loves to dine out and wants to bring that magic home.

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