Simple, Beautiful, Delicious

One of my true pleaseures in cooking is finding that incredibly simple combination of good ingredients that at the same time yields such a complex and delightful combination of flavours and textures. One such dinner of my recent making used the following:

1 Portobello Mushroom
1 Asian Pear
1 Clove Garlic
1 Handful Spinach
1 Splash Olive Oil
1 Drizzle Aged Balsamic Vinegar
1 Pinch Sea Salt
1 Twist Ground Pepper

That's it - 10 minutes. I briefly sauteed the garlic in a little olive oil and then sliced the mushroom and tossed it in, cooking it until coated in oil and softened. I sliced the pear into thin segments and ringed the plate with them, put the handful of spinach in the middle of the plate, dropped the hot mushroom slices (with remaining juices and oil) on top of the spinach and finished with salt and pepper on the mushroom and a drizzle of the old sweet balsamic over everything. I love asian pears - they taste like eating a crunchy and refreshing combination of honey and sunshine. And with the darker sweetness of the balsamic and the clean smoothness of the olive oil it's like eating a perfect autumn day. The mushroom is dense and earthy, and juicy, too. The garlic's tartness is good in harmony with the richer taste of the mushroom and also the crispy fresh green of the spinach - the juices from the mushroom and garlic obviating any desire for dressing for the spinach.

And it is also singularly satisfying when something so quick and simple can also look so lovely sitting there on the plate.