Adding a sweet, thick balsamic glaze to cooked mushrooms is easy to do in a skillet, but we wanted to make enough to feed a crowd. We start by microwaving 4 pounds of mushrooms to drive off moisture, preventing slimy ’shrooms and a watery glaze. A preheated baking sheet jump-starts the browning process, and adding the glaze toward the end of cooking prevents the vinegar from scorching. To round out the sweet-tart balsamic flavor, we add brown sugar, butter, garlic, and thyme for a thick, rich coating.

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SERVES 8

Buy mushrooms with caps about 1½ inches in diameter; use any smaller mushrooms whole. Once you add the vinegar, watch carefully so the mushrooms don’t burn. If your microwave can’t fit the mushrooms in one batch, microwave them in two batches, decreasing the microwave time to 10 minutes per batch.