Rasta Pasta with Lobster Mushrooms
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Fusion cuisine has gotten a lot of bad rap over the years, but sometimes melding techniques and flavors from two disparate cuisines really works!
Case in point: rasta pasta. This Jamaican pasta dish combines Italian pasta and cooking techniques with fiery and tropical Jamaican flavors. Inspired by the Rastafarian movement, this dish uses red, yellow, and green peppers to match the Jamaican flag, as well as a good helping of Jamaican jerk, which seasons the creamy coconut sauce that provides the base to this dish.
The first time I encountered this dish was in Toronto’s Kensington Market, at a restaurant befittingly named Rasta Pasta. It’s often served with chicken or shrimp, but since many Rastafarians stick to a meatless diet, mushrooms might actually be a more authentic protein choice. I used wild lobster mushrooms, which I tend to find a lot of in my foraging spots. Lobster mushrooms have a beautiful color, as well as a subtle seafood flavor that I thought would go great in this dish (considering it’s often served with shrimp).
You could use other hearty mushrooms like chicken of the woods, shrimp of the woods, or store-bought king oyster mushrooms in lieu of lobster mushrooms. You could also try experimenting by replacing the mushrooms with pheasant breast, venison loin, or grouse – just be sure to adjust cooking times as necessary.
Jerk sauces and marinades vary widely in heat and salt levels, so be sure to add a small amount and taste, rather than dumping a whole bottle in. I generally stick to Walkers Wood Jerk Seasoning, but am also totally addicted to PC’s Memories of Montego Brand Jerk Marinade. Any one you find in the grocery store will do!
Serves: 4
Time to make: Under 1 hour
Also make with: chicken of the woods, king oyster mushrooms
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Rasta Pasta with Lobster Mushrooms
4
servings30
minutes30
minutesKeep the screen of your device on
Ingredients
1 lb lobster mushrooms, cleaned, trimmed, and cut into strips
1 tablespoon neutral lard or oil
3/4 lb penne or rotini pasta
2 bell peppers, sliced into strips (4 colours if possible)
3 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1 can coconut milk
1 chicken bouillon cube (optional)
4 scallions, sliced
1/8 -1/4 cup jerk sauce/marinade (depending on how spicy you like it)
Preparation
- Add the oil to a large skillet over medium heat. Add the lobster mushrooms and cook for 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
- Meanwhile, set a pot of water to boil (you can add a big pinch of salt to the water if you’d like).
- After 10 minutes, add the peppers and garlic to the skillet. Cook another 3 minutes.
- Add the pasta to the water and boil to al dente (follow package instructions). Reserve 1 cup of the starchy cooking water.
- Add the coconut milk and bouillon cube to the skillet and cook for another 5 minutes.
- Add the cooked pasta and 1/2 cup of the cooking water to the skillet. Cook down until creamy, 2-3 minutes. Add the jerk sauce and sliced scallions. Taste and add more jerk (and salt) if necessary. Enjoy!
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