I received these three packages of organic mushrooms from my Organic Co-Op this week. The problem is, I have never heard of these mushrooms before. I don’t know what they taste like, and I don’t know how to cook them. Frankly, I am a bit intimidated by them.
I’ve got some…
Maitake (Hen of the Woods)
Bunapi (White Beech Mushroom)
Eryngii (King Oyster Mushrooms)
I’m in the mood for mushroom soup, but I don’t know if these mushrooms will taste good in the creamy soup. My second thought would be to simply stir fry them, but again, I have no idea what these babies can do.
Does anybody have any experience cooking these mushrooms? Any good recipes to try?
Hen of the woods is supposed to taste like chicken. I think it’s good to go with the soup or stir fry. I think it’s important to cook these thoroughly as they say. I read someone got some kind of a strange skin reaction and turns out it was from undercooked shitakes. Maybe just that person though, some kind of sensitivity.
Thanks for the heads up, Anita. I might try making a coconut milk-based mushroom soup.
Have any idea if king oyster mushrooms are similar to regular oyster mushrooms? If so, the try stir-frying them with a little garlic, cumin and paprika for my version of vegan chicken nuggets.
I just looked it up, and supposedly they are from the same family, but the kings are meatier? Anyway, your recipe sounds good. Will have to try.
How interesting! I had maitake mushrooms once. The chef called them “dancing mushrooms” and I just looked back at the photo and it appears he marinated them in miso and served them with fish. I remember them being tasty, but probably along the lines of a shitake?
I love mushrooms, but tend to stick with the common button or portabellas…however my favorite kind of mushroom soup isn’t creamy, but broth-based. I bought a pre-made mushroom stock, but you can probably use veggie, and made a soup with shitakes (and buttons), spinach, and diced tomatoes. It was very simple, but very good. I’m thinking that with these exotic fungi you could take it to an Asian direction and perhaps make a ginger/garlic broth, perhaps with some soy, and red peppers, broccoli…maybe miso?
Ooooo. I like that idea with the miso and fish. Do you know what kind of fish he served it with?
The soup sounds good, too. I was thinking of a more Asian soup. Maybe a miso base with some bok choy, carrots, maybe some bean sprouts and lime…and of course soy sauce!
Blehhh I don’t like mushrooms 🙂
I WISH I did. I really really WANT to like them. But I can’t do it! I think it’s a texture thing. Any ideas for a recipe that uses mushrooms… for someone that hates mushrooms??
I don’t really know. I have always loved mushrooms! I remember ordering portobello lasagna at an italian restaurant when I was 8 yrs old…it turned into my favorite food in the world at the time-ha!
I just can’t get into mushrooms unless their realllly cooked or chopped up realllly small, lol. I hope you find some good recipes though!
My BF gathers wild mushrooms, and I think preparation advice for those can apply to unfamiliar commercially available mushrooms as well. When we have a new variety of edible mushroom (that we have identified and are absolutely, positively sure is edible), we usually take a slice of it and fry lightly in butter or oil to sample it. After tasting, you have a better idea of what kind of dish it would be good in. I think a mushroom soup with a variety of exotic and flavorful mushrooms would be lovely! The cooking time for different mushrooms does vary widely though, so you may want to take that into account. For example, I’ve had Hen of the Woods before and it is on the tough side and takes a while to cook.
Thanks Laurel! I will have to try it.
I’ve had oyster mushrooms and the little white ones before and I like them both! You could make some chicken marsala….cleaneatingmag.com has a fabulous and healthy recipe for it! Or you could saute them up….ALL mushrooms are delicious like that! Hope you have some luck with them! If not….send them my way LOL….I love me some fungi!
I’ll definitely check out the marsala recipe. Sounds delicious! Thanks!
maitake is amazing sauteed with oilve oil and garlic- keep it simple with those – they are my favorite!
I love mushrooms so I’m interested to see what suggestions you get! Let us know what you end up doing with them all! If you get any good ideas, I might buy some just to try them 😀
I would have no idea what to make with these either. But I am excited to see what you end up doing with them! Hope you blog about those mushroom experiments!
Yummy! You have some good healing mushrooms! I would do a miso base for ur soup. Or do a stirfry yum yum xoxo
Or I would do a coconut base that actually would taste better!
I’m super jealous of your mushroom haul, they are one of my favorite foods. I’ve really only had portabellos and shiitakes, so I can’t help you much. I’d assume you could probably prepare them like you would other kinds of mushrooms. Sorry, I’m not very helpful. I can’t wait to find out what you end up doing!
I used to love mushrooms! still do just for some reason never seem to make them for myself much. But they are good in stir-frys, burgers, tacos, and I like them in soy sauce, Asian flavored meals the best