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Mushrooms
Shiitakes to chanterelles, porcini to portobello: How to choose, use and savor these earthy delights.
Buying mushrooms used to be so simple: You went to the produce aisle and picked out a cellophane-wrapped package of white mushrooms, the only kind available. These days, some markets have entire sections devoted to the humble — yet remarkably flavorful — fungus. Here’s a rundown of the ones you’re most likely to find.
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What’s at the market?
Getting acquainted with the A-team of fungi
Earthy delights
White button
Picture a mushroom, and odds are it’s one of these — white buttons are ubiquitous. When relatively small and firm, they’re excellent served raw in salads; as they get larger, softer and more intensely flavored, try them sliced and sautéed (stems and all) with a little garlic and fresh thyme.
Crimini and Portobello
Fungus in a pinch
How to keep a cache of flavor handy in your cupboard |
Dried and true
Dried porcinis, morels and wild mushroom assortments are widely available in many supermarkets these days. Since dehydration concentrates mushrooms’ flavor, you’ll need far fewer dried than fresh to add depth to a recipe.
How to cook with them
Reconstitute the dried varieties in hot water for 10-30 minutes, then pluck them from the bowl, squeeze and use in soups, sauces and stews; strain the soaking liquid and add that to the pot too.
Truffles
Though they’re not technically mushrooms, their deep, earthy flavor resembles a mushroom on steroids. Look for truffle oil or truffle butter at the store. Just a drizzle or a pat added to a dish will scent the entire plate.
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Criminis (often marketed as baby bellas or Italian mushrooms) look just like their white button cousins, only in a lovely pale brown. Their flavor is a little more pronounced, but they’re otherwise interchangeable. A portobello is a mature crimini — as they get larger, their caps expand and flatten out, exposing the ridged gills underneath. Once cooked, their firm, meaty texture makes them a great base for a main course: Grill the caps and serve on buns; save the stems to use in other dishes.
Shiitake
Also known as oak, Chinese black or Black Forest mushrooms, shiitake have dark brown, umbrella-shaped caps with creamy pale undersides. Often seen in Asian dishes, shiitake can also be substituted for white or crimini in almost any recipe — expect a deeper, earthier flavor and a chewy texture. Their woody, inedible stems provide richness to strained stocks and sauces.
Porcini
Also called cèpes or boletes, these prized wild mushrooms have bulbous, edible stems, deep brown caps and white undersides (a yellowish tinge indicates age). Their delicate yet still assertive flavor is a winning addition to many Italian dishes, both raw and cooked.
Chanterelle
Like porcini, chanterelles defy cultivation, which means a hefty price tag. With a lovely golden color, fruity aroma (think apricots), and fluttery shape, they look delicate — but in fact, their texture is quite sturdy, even chewy, and holds up well in cooking. Be sure to brush them off carefully but quickly, under running water: Their folds can hide woodsy debris.
Oyster
Named for their resemblance (in looks and, some say, flavor) to the bivalve, oyster mushrooms come in a variety of hues, from silvery-white to yellow, pink, grey and purplish-brown. Whatever the color, they all share a delicate, subtle taste and a tendency to decay quickly, so use them within two days. These are best cooked briefly over high heat.
Morel
These elegant treasures don’t look like mushrooms at all, more like a dark brown, cone-shaped honeycomb. Their distinctive, meaty flavor stands up to complicated cream sauces as well as lighter, simpler recipes. Difficult to cultivate and highly seasonal, wild morels become available in the spring.
Hen-of-the-woods
Sold in clusters, with ruffled, overlapping caps, hen-of-the-woods (also known as maitake) can grow several feet wide. Simply break up the cluster and cook, stems and all — their earthy, almost gamy flavor and firm texture holds up well in simmered and braised dishes.
Buying, storing and using mushrooms
Always look for mushrooms that appear smooth and dry on the surface, never shriveled or slimy, and store them in the refrigerator in paper bags — plastic promotes deterioration. Most varieties will keep for five to seven days. When you’re ready to cook, use a soft vegetable brush (or even a piece of paper towel) to wipe off all debris. It’s fine to clean most varieties under cold running water just before use, but be quick about it (otherwise they’ll become soggy sponges) and dry them thoroughly.
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