Mushrooms
21/07/2012 14:46The mushroom is just one of a very large, diverse group of organisms called fungi. Delicious and packed with nutrients, mushrooms come in many varieties, varying in size, shape and colour, with surfaces that range from smooth and silky to pitted and honeycombed.
STORING MUSHROOMS ~ Transfer just-bought fresh mushrooms from plastic bags or containers to brown paper bags, and keep in the salad drawer of the fridge for 3-4 days. The paper keeps light out but lets air in, so mushrooms stay firm and dry.
PREPARING~ Cultivated mushrooms are usually very clean, all they need is a wipe with a clean, damp paper towel, or just give them a little brush with a pastry brush to remove any visible dirt.
Due to their porous flesh, mushrooms should never be washed, as they will absorb liquid and become saturated, this will make them go mushy when you cook them.
** Never pick mushrooms to eat in the wild unless you can identify them properly!
Button ~ is the most common type of mushroom and they are readily available. They have creamy white caps with pink gills which darken to beige as they grow. Great to use in salads, casseroles and pasta bakes or sliced in sauces and soups.
Cup ~ comes in any size. Cups are richer in colour and taste than Buttons and are wonderful grilled on their own, or added to sauces, pastas, soups, stir-frys and casseroles.
Chanterelle ~ these creamy-yellow mushrooms are a distinctive frilly trumpet shape with a slightly rubbery texture. They have a firm flesh with a subtle, fruity flavour. Wonderful served with scrambled eggs for a tasty breakfast, or add to creamy pasta sauces or just simply serve them on toast.
Chestnut ~ so called because of their nutty flavour, they are firm in texture and hold their shape when cooked. Chestnut mushrooms have a similar appearance to a button mushroom but are a darker colour. They are also known as brown cap mushrooms. They are very versatile and can be included in salads, pasta dishes, sauces, quiches, casseroles, soups and omelettes.
Oyster ~ An Asian fan-shaped mushroom. It has a slight odour similar to anise or licorice and a tender texture with a mild oyster-like flavour. They grow naturally in woods, in clusters of overlapping tiers, but the cultivated varieties are grown on composted wheat straw. They have a subtle flavour and a chewy texture. Add them to pasta recipes, risotto or stir-fry them with other types of mushroom.
Porcini ~ are wild mushrooms native to the Alpine regions of Italy and France, where they are known as ceps. They have a distinctive aroma and rich meaty flavour. Fresh porcini are only available in late summer and autumn so the dried variety is more commonly used. Only a very small amount of dried porcini is needed to add an intense flavour to a variety of savoury dishes. Porcini mushrooms are particularly good in pasta dishes, risotto, soups, stews and omelettes. Porcini go particularly well with garlic or fresh herbs such as flat leaf parsley or thyme.
Portobello ~ are rich flavoured, meaty textured Italian mushrooms, which have large, flat, dark brown caps. Portobello mushrooms are ideal for grilling or baking due to their size. Sauté whole flat mushrooms in a little butter and garlic or remove the stalk and stuff and bake.
Shiitake ~ native to Asia, shiitake mushrooms have dark umbrella-shaped caps and a spongy texture. In Japanese, shiitake means "oak fungus," which describes where the mushrooms can be found in the wild. They are used extensively in Chinese and Japanese cuisine. The flesh is meaty textured with a rich, smoky flavour. Add to sauces and stocks, wrap in foil with fish, white meat or vegetables, or chop and use in stuffings for poultry, fish or meat.
Enoki ~ a mushroom commonly found growing on tree trunks or tree roots. It grows in long clusters of string-like stems with small white caps. Also called enokitake. It has a delicate fruity flavour. It is a good addition to salads, soups, stir-fries, meat dishes, and as a garnish.
Morels ~ a wild edible mushroom whose cone-shape cap has a honeycombed appearance. Its found in woodland clearings, old orchards and pastures, also under trees especillay ash and elm. Usual appears in spring. The cap is wrinkled like a coarse sponge They have a liking for burnt places, they were colonies springing up on bomb sites during the Second Worlds War. The morels caps should be cut in half and rinsed under running water before use as it honey comb structure means it can collects dirt and insects.You can also blanch them in boiling water as well before cooking. They make a good addition to stews and soups and hollwed out they can be stuffed and baked. When morels are sliced horizontally they produce crinkle-edged goldn rings which look good in omelettes or mushroom soups.
Puffball ~ comes in a few different sizes, from the small common puffball (Lycoperdon perlatum) to the magnificent giant puffball (Calvatia gigantea). Puffballs are usually white and round, and are attached to the ground with little or no apparent stem. Puffball mushrooms are similar to tofu in colour and in texture and can be cooked in a similar way. Methods of cooking puffballs range from cubing the flesh and simmering it in a soup to thickly slicing and frying like steaks. It can also be baked, grilled, sautéed and steamed.
A Few Tasty Ideas For Mushrooms
Batter them - make up a batter using 4oz (125g) plain flour, 1 egg, 200ml. cold water. dip them into the batter mix and fry until golden.
Add a topping - cover a cooked large flat mushroom with a mixture of grated cheese, beaten egg and mustard, grill until golden and bubbling.
Stir-fry- Add mushrooms, finely chopped chilli, ginger and garlic, stir in some soy sauce and chopped coriander. Serve with noddles.
Kebabs - Halve the mushrooms and thread onto skewers along with cherry toms and peppers, drizzle over a little oil, and grill until tender - great for BBQ.
Roast - This really brings out their flavour, put them into a roasting tin. add a little oil and season well, add a few sprigs of rosemary and roast in a hot oven for about 15 mins, serve with fish or a nice steak.
WILD MUSHROOM SOUP
Cook 4 chopped shallots in butter for about 1-2mins. Add 600g mixed mushrooms and 2 chopped garlic cloves, cook for 5 - 6 mins. Pour over 725ml Chicken or Vegetable stock, cook for 20 mins. Remove a few of the mushrooms and whizz up the rest in a blender until smooth. Return to pan and pour in 142ml, of single cream, season really well and stir in the reserved mushrooms to serve and sprinkle over some fresh chopped parsley.
MUSHROOM PASTA SAUCE
14oz / 37g - mushrooms - can use a mixture
1oz / 25g - butter
1 clove garlic crushed
50ml / 2 floz white wine
200ml / 7 floz single cream
6 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
Freshly ground Black pepper & Salt
Slice the mushrooms and fry gently in the butter along with the garlic until softened. Add the wine and the cream, stirring well. Cook uncovered for about 10 mins until sauce has thickened. Season well with black pepper and salt, then stir through the parsley. Serve over your favourite pasta.
MUSHROOM CURRY
This is a is quick and easy recipe to make. Use your favourite mushrooms for this dish.
Serves 4
450g / 1lb mushrooms - washed
2 tbsp cooking oil
2 onions, chopped
2 cloves garlic, finely chopped
1-inch piece fresh ginger, grated
1 green chilli, finely chopped (Adjust the amount of chilli you use to you own taste)
1 tsp ground cumin, 1tsp ground coriander, 1tsp garam masala
1/2 teasp turmeric.
Salt & black pepper
1/2 tin / 200ml coconut milk.
2 tbsp fresh coriander - to serve
Cut the mushrooms into bite sized pieces. Heat the oil in a pan and gently fry onions. Add the ginger, garlic and chilli and cook for a few minutes. Add all the other spices and cook for a further minute. Add the mushrooms, coating them well in the spice mixture, and fry for about 5 minutes or until they are softened. Add the coconut milk and simmer for 5-10 minutes. Season to taste with salt and freshly ground black pepper. Sprinkled with the fresh coriander and serve with warmed naan bread and fluffy white rice.
SCRAMBLED EGGS WITH MUSHROOMS
This is a recipe for two. You can use wild mushrooms as well if you like foraging.
250g mixed mushrooms
6 eggs
50g unsalted butter
2tsp fresh thyme leaves
Sea salt & loads of freshly ground Black pepper
Clean the mushrooms and cut into thick slices. Put the eggs in a bowl, add salt & pepper to taste and beat well. Melt 40g of the butter in a large frying pan. Add the mushrooms, thyme, salt & pepper. Fry over a medium heat until lightly browned and the juices begin to run. Push the mushrooms to one side of the pan, add the remaining butter, then pour in the beaten eggs, stirring with a fork until almost set. Gradually stir in the mushrooms from the side of the pan, cook for a couple of minutes, then spoon onto serving plates. Sprinkle with thyme leaves and serve with toast.
