Mushrooms

Everything you wanted (or didn’t want) to know about my favorite edible fungus. I LOVE mushrooms; the textures, flavors, colors, and they add something really special to any dish. Below are a list of Mushrooms you're likely to find, and cooking tips and ideas.












* You'll see that I very rarely say to cook your mushrooms in oil... there's a very simple reason for that. Mushrooms are very porous, this makes them quick and easy to cook, but also means that whatever you cook them in will be absorbed. Therefore, if you cook them in oil, the mushroom will retain that oil, and you can get greasy slimy mushrooms. However, butter gets absorbed faster, and therefore, unless you’re just drowning them, the butter won’t make your mushrooms greasy.


White / Button
You can find these in any supermarket, and odds are you've used them before, at the very least had them on a pizza. Personally, a Button Mushroom is boring. It's a great filler in Mushroom recipes, and can add good texture, but as far as Mushrooms go, they are fairly tasteless. However, they’re easy to sauté, and hearty, so they won’t burn in the oven if you bake them for example.


Baby Bella / Crimini
As far as I'm concerned, upgrade your Button usage to the Crimini. It’s the same size, but the texture is denser, and they actually have a flavor. These are in fact just a smaller Portobello Mushroom. Crimini are so versatile -- easily roasted, sautéed, or steamed, they always add a nice texture and nutty flavor. My favorite thing to do is just slice and sauté with some butter and add to anything! It’s great with couscous or rice, in pasta sauces, with string beans, in quiches, or even gravy.


Portobello
You've seen these and most likely have had them before too. These are very large capped mushrooms that are so hearty they very often replace the "ham" in your "burger". My favorite way to cook them is to grill them either on a grill pan, an electric grill. Oil the Mushrooms and the pan, and grill. Once they're cooked through, about 5 minutes or so, drizzle some very good balsamic vinegar on them... SOOO yummy!


Shitake
The flavor and aroma of the shitake are so irresistible. They are at once both smoky and sweet. In fact, very often they give off almost a bacon-like smell while cooking. You can find these pretty readily in the average supermarket these days, and you should take advantage of that. They jazz up ANYTHING. Sautee them in butter and put them over your boring old chicken breasts, or rice, or omelet, or even fish. I really like putting sautéed Shitakes over couscous with toasted pine nuts and caramelized onions. It’s really easy and so effective.

Couscous

1 cup couscous
1 1/4 cups water
1 bullion cube
3 tbs butter (or butter substitute like "Smart Balance")
1 teaspoon sugar
1 large yellow onion
1 package of Shitake Mushrooms (or 10-12 loose)
1/4 cup Pine nuts

1. Slice the onions into thin rounds. Add 1 tbs of butter, and sauté the onions on medium heat. Once they have turned translucent, add the sugar and put the flame down to low. Cover them, checking and stirring every couple of minutes. They should take about 20 or so minutes to caramelize.

2. Slice and sauté the mushrooms in 1 tbs of butter and set aside. Toast the Pine nuts in a 350 degree oven for about 5 minutes or until they become light brown and fragrant... DON"T LET THEM BURN. Set aside.

3. Boil the water with the last tbs of butter and bullion cube. Add the couscous; turn off the heat, and let sit covered for about 5 minutes.

Place couscous in a bowl. Add the mushrooms, then the onions and sprinkle with the pine nuts.


Enoki
These funny little guys have been making a regular appearance in supermarkets recently. They are very cute, and while they don’t give a ton of flavor, they do add texture, and a splash of white. You can eat the entire thing, not just the caps like some other Mushrooms. The best thing to do with them, is to either chop them up to use in a pate or stuffing, or to use them as garnish in a soup or noodle dish. They are Japanese in origin but don't let that influence how you use them. Also, because they are so skinny, they are very easily eaten raw on a salad or sandwich.


Chanterelle
You can find these fresh or dried, and if fresh, they should be a golden almost orange color. They have a very distinct flavor. Definitely sweeter than the average mushroom, but for such a small mushroom, it has an amazingly robust flavor. Although they are small, they roast incredibly well, and that’s how I like them best. Roast them with brussel sprouts for a French Country side dish, or sauté them with butter and sherry, and put them over a steak for something truly decadent! Be wary though, they are also very expensive.


Porcini
You will very rarely find fresh Porcini; they usually come dried. They need to be reconstituted in some warm liquid like water, or even broth. They are an Italian staple, and can be found in sauces and stuffed in all manner of seafood and meats within the cuisine. They are a really hearty, dense Mushroom that takes high heats and abuse very well. The flavor is across between a Crimini and a Shitake, and they fetch a really high price. In fact, they are so expensive, that I'm willing to say that unless your a real recipe purist and refuse to substitute (and poor you if you are), you can use Shitake's instead. However, I have to admit, a Risotto with Porcini is divine just the way it is.


Hen of the Woods
This is a mushroom I only just started using (or even heard of) over the holidays. It's a great sautéing mushroom. It’s hearty and dense, and almost has the texture of a really firm bean curd. I haven't had a lot of time to get to know it, but as soon as I do, you'll see a recipe!



*There are lots of mushrooms I have NOT mentioned only because I tend not to use them -- Oyster Mushrooms and Truffles for example. Put me to shame and post your own mushroom recipe with something I don’t normally use!