it was after ordering a side of rapini at a restaurant that i had the idea for this porcini-fried rapini. the rapini i ordered was sauteed in olive oil and dressed with buttery, golden parmesan breadcrumbs--rich, and sharp flavours that stood up to the strong taste of the rapini. i wanted to make something similar and i remembered my mother using porcini "powder" in a coating once...it struck me as an even better match for the rapini than the cheese. earthy and strong porcinis to balance the bite of the greens. this has become my favourite way to make rapini. though it may not be the most-loved vegetable, it was the first dish to go when i served batches of porcini-fried rapini at a recent dinner party. the proof is in the empty plate.

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