Mushroom Recipes

Prep:

  • An old toothbrush or paintbrush is best for removing attached debris. A quick rinse is possible, but wash only when prepared to cook.
  • Similar to humans, all fresh mushrooms (particularly shiitake) produce Vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. For best results, leave gill side up in a sunny location for a day, after which you can put in the fridge or freezer. Mushrooms I intend to dehydrate, I pre-slice to give additional surface area for soaking up Vitamin D and drying.
  • Rehydrating: soak in room temperature water for a few hours. Drain excess water before cooking, reserving the soaking water for soup.
  • Stock, seasoning powder, tincture: while the tops of the stem can usually be used in cooking but will be progressively tougher closer to the base. Stem bases and Older mushrooms can be tinctured, soup stock, or powderized to make a seasoning.
  • Cook all mushrooms– yes this even goes for white button mushrooms. Nutrients locked in the cell walls are very hard to digest when raw. Cooking also neutralizes naturally occurring toxins.

When using gourmet mushrooms, you minimize the need for vegetable stock and other flavourings. They are also a great meat or tofu substitute. Substitute for ‘white button mushrooms’ and in smaller quantity due to the fuller taste of these log-grown mushrooms.

Basic

Basic Sautéed Mushrooms: medium heat in butter with garlic, salt and herbs to taste. Cook until water evaporated. If very watery and want to cook faster, you can even strain out liberated water to reserve for stock. I personally like them browned and almost crispy to amplify the flavours.

Breakfast

  • mushroom omelette with perennial herbs like winter savory, garlic chives, Good King Henry

Side Dishes

Mains

  • substitute oyster for eggplant, seafood
  • substitute chewy shiitake for beef, seitan (wheat gluten)
  • mushrooms especially shiitake stems to flavour your broth or soup base or miso
  • barbequed
  • pasta
  • lasagna
  • panini sandwiches

Wine Pairings

  • shiitake with red or white
  • oyster with white

Dessert??!

  • look up meringue mushrooms