Popular Mushroom Recipes
The Dirt on Mushrooms
- Mushrooms are a high-fiber, low-fat source of protein and B vitamins.
- There are thousands of mushroom varieties, but relatively few come to market.
- Choose mushrooms that are dry and firm, and have closed caps.
- Refrigerate fresh mushrooms in a paper bag for up to three days.
- Clean fresh mushrooms just before cooking by wiping or brushing them; never drench them. Tough stems can be removed and saved for making stock.
- Fresh mushrooms soak up and then release lots of moisture during cooking.
- Cultivated mushrooms are easier to find in most markets than are their wild cousins. Wild mushrooms can often be found dried.
- Dried wild mushrooms can be expensive, but their flavors are intense and they keep well for years in a dry cupboard.
- Rehydrate dried mushrooms by soaking them in warm water for 30 minutes. Lift out with a slotted spoon. The remaining liquid can be strained and used to flavor soups and sauces.
- Cook fresh mushrooms with a small amount of rehydrated wild mushrooms to amplify flavors.
Mushroom Myth & Magic
Mushrooms have been on the menu for as long as humans have put these most unlikely foods into their mouths. There's a great deal of myth and magic with regards to mushrooms. And early Romans so revered them that a dinner guest knew where he stood from the quantity and variety of mushrooms on his plate. These days, markets are offering much more than the common white button mushroom.