My easy mushroom recipe turns a basic side into the star

Mushrooms are an under-appreciated side accompaniment to a main meal, and as far as sides, they're really easy to cook.

The trick is to be able to watch them cook instead of meddling with them in the pan.

I use the new copper pan, which is a "Gotham Steel hammered copper nonstick" that I bought on Amazon. The pan works best on low to medium heat and that's perfect for your mushrooms.

Try to buy the larger white mushrooms so they have somebody to them as there's a lot of liquid that will be released and the tableside fungus will shrink as it cooks.

Photo via Bill Spadea

How to cook mushrooms so they brown instead of steam

Here's the trick: Turn on the burner on low heat and melt some beef tallow in the pan.

Add your sliced mushrooms around the pan.

Try not to bunch them up, you want as much surface area of the mushroom in contact with the surface of the pan as you can.

Then let them sit and cook, don't season or touch them.

Check after a few minutes; you're looking for the mushroom to brown. Once they are brown on one side, flip them all, same deal, maximize surface contact.

Add black pepper and red pepper flakes on the top browned side, and a little sea salt.

After a couple of minutes, add some butter to the center of the pan and just let it melt in while the down side browns.

That's it, both sides brown, add to a dish and a little more salt.

Serve with pizza, scrambled eggs, or a steak off the grill.

You're welcome.