Hen of the Woods (Maitake) Mushrooms with Flank Steak

I am SO excited! Our friends, Michelle and Dan, brought home a huge bunch of hen of the woods mushrooms from Dan's parents and shared their bounty with us! We first discovered these delicious mushroom last year when we were at Dan's parents house and sampled this awesome seasonal delicacy for the first time. Since then, I have seen them occasionally at the farmer's market and specialty food stores. But, boy, are they pricey! According to wikipedia.com, hen of the woods mushrooms have a hypoglycemic effect, and may be beneficial for the management of diabetes. If you have access to these wild mushrooms, great! If not, feel free to substitute your favorite fresh mushroom for this recipe. As many of you know, I love the marinade used in the Korean cauliflower rice bowl. I have repurposed that marinade to saute the mushrooms and marinade the steak. Thanks Michelle and Dan (and your parents) for making this dish happen!

Serves 4.

Ingredients
1 flank steak, about 1.5 pounds
4 cups cleaned hen-of-the-woods mushrooms, cut into medium pieces (or substitute chanterelle or another type of mushroom)
8 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 cup coconut aminos
4 Tbsp coconut or apple cider vinegar
1/2 cup toasted sesame oil
coconut or olive oil

Hen of the woods mushrooms are
typically found on oak trees.

Preparation

1. Preheat grill to medium high. 
2. Combine garlic, aminos, vinegar, and sesame oil in a small bowl.
3. Place steak in a large baking dish and pour half of the marinade over steak, turning to evenly coat.
4. Warm about 1 Tbsp olive oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and saute for about 10 minutes. Add the other 1/2 of the marinade to the mushrooms, reduce heat to medium, and simmer an additional 5 minutes or until mushrooms are cooked through.
5. While mushrooms cook, grill steak to your desired degree of doneness, about 5 minutes on each side for grass-fed beef. Remove from heat and let rest for 5 minutes. Slice thin and serve alongside mushrooms.