Mushroom Preparation: A Step-By-Step Guide

Mushrooms are a versatile ingredient used in dishes worldwide. They can be cooked in a variety of ways, including sautéing, roasting, grilling, and broiling. Before cooking, it is important to clean mushrooms without waterlogging them, as they absorb water easily. Mushrooms can be sliced, chopped, or torn into pieces, and it is recommended to cook them on high heat to prevent steaming and encourage browning. Different types of mushrooms, such as button, oyster, shiitake, and portobello, offer varying flavors and textures, allowing for a range of culinary applications. Seasonings like salt, pepper, garlic, thyme, and butter are commonly used to enhance the flavor of mushrooms.

Sautéing

Ingredients

You will need mushrooms (a pound of sliced button mushrooms serves about four people), oil, and butter. You can also add salt, black pepper, garlic, and herbs such as thyme, parsley, rosemary, or tarragon. For added flavour, you can include wine, soy sauce, or teriyaki sauce.

Preparation

Clean the mushrooms with a damp paper towel or a mushroom brush. Do not wash them, as they will become waterlogged and will not brown as well during cooking. Cut the mushrooms into thick slices of a similar size—do not cut them too thin as they will shrink while cooking.

Cooking

Heat a combination of oil and butter in a large pan over medium-high heat. You want the pan to be hot before adding the mushrooms. Add the mushrooms, leaving space between them. Cook the mushrooms for 3-5 minutes without stirring, then stir occasionally until they are browned and tender. If your pan is crowded, you will need to cook the mushrooms for longer. If the mushrooms release a lot of liquid, keep cooking until it evaporates.

Serving

Sautéed mushrooms are a versatile side dish that can be served with steak, chicken, burgers, pasta, or rice. They can also be used as a topping for baked potatoes or scrambled eggs. For extra flavour, you can deglaze the pan by adding a splash of liquid (water, wine, stock, cream, or sherry) and stirring until it evaporates.

Roasting

Preparation

Firstly, select your mushrooms. You can use your favourite variety, such as cremini, white button, portobello, or wild mushrooms. If you are using large mushrooms, tear or slice them into bite-sized pieces. For small mushrooms, quartering or halving them is recommended. When roasting, it is best to have all the mushrooms cut to a similar size.

Next, clean the mushrooms. Use a damp paper towel to wipe off any dirt or debris. It is not recommended to wash the mushrooms under running water as they will soak it up and become soggy, rather than crispy, when roasted.

After cleaning, season the mushrooms. Place them on a large baking sheet and drizzle them with olive oil, vinegar, and tamari. Sprinkle with pepper and herbs such as thyme, rosemary, or sage. Toss to coat and spread in an even layer.

Preheat your oven to a temperature between 375°F and 450°F (190°C and 232°C). Roast the mushrooms for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they release liquid and become tender and golden brown.

Halfway through the roasting process, drain off the liquid that has collected in the tray. This assists in browning and speeds up the cooking time.

After roasting, transfer the mushrooms to a bowl and toss with fresh herbs such as parsley, chives, or tarragon. Serve immediately or store in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 to 5 days.

Tips

• If you want to add garlic to your roasted mushrooms, it is best to add it towards the end of roasting to prevent it from burning.
• Salt can help draw out moisture from the mushrooms. Add it before roasting or just before serving.
• If you are short on time, you can cook the mushrooms on the stove using a skillet recipe, which can be ready in about 20 minutes.

Grilling

To prepare mushrooms for grilling, start by trimming off any dry, woody bits from the stems. Then, gently brush off any dirt using a soft brush, or wipe them clean with a damp cloth or paper towel. If you want to clean them thoroughly, you can rinse them under running water, but this may cause them to become waterlogged.

Once your mushrooms are clean, it's time to marinate. Combine your mushrooms with your chosen marinade in a large mixing bowl and toss until they are well coated. Then, let the mushrooms soak for at least 20 minutes at room temperature before grilling. This allows the mushrooms to fully absorb the flavours of the marinade. If you don't want to marinate your mushrooms, you can also season them directly on the grill.

After marinating, it's time to thread the mushrooms onto skewers, which makes for easier grilling. If using wooden skewers, remember to soak them first. Preheat your grill to medium-high heat (400-425°F). Place the skewers on the grill grates in a single layer, close the lid, and grill for about 4 minutes. Then, flip the skewers and grill for another 3 to 4 minutes, or until the mushrooms are tender and slightly charred.

Remove the skewers from the grill and season with salt, pepper, and fresh herbs before serving. Grilled mushrooms make a delicious and healthy addition to any summer meal, and can be served as a side dish or a vegetarian main course.

Seasoning

When making sautéed mushrooms, it is recommended to start by cooking the mushrooms in a mixture of oil and butter. About halfway through the cooking process, you can add butter to further enhance the flavour. It is also important to preheat the pan before adding the mushrooms, especially if you are searing them. Additionally, it is important not to overcrowd the pan, as this can cause the mushrooms to steam instead of sear.

Once the mushrooms are cooked, you can season them with salt, pepper, garlic powder, and fresh garlic. You can also add other seasonings like soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, thyme, or parsley to further enhance the flavour. It is important to taste the mushrooms after seasoning and adjust the seasoning as needed.

If you are looking for a more intense mushroom flavour, you can also make your own mushroom seasoning. This can be done by blending dried shiitake mushrooms with salt until a fine powder is formed. This mushroom seasoning can be used to add an umami flavour to soups, bakes, stir-fries, and dips. You can also customise your mushroom seasoning by adding ingredients like dried seaweed, which is also high in umami.

When seasoning mushrooms, it is important to consider the other ingredients in your dish and adjust the seasoning accordingly. For example, if you are using a teriyaki sauce, you may want to reduce the amount of salt you add to the mushrooms. Similarly, if you are using a wine or vinegar in your dish, you may want to reduce the amount of acid you add through seasoning.

Cleaning

Mushrooms are often dirty when purchased and should be cleaned before cooking to remove germs and bacteria. However, they are porous and will soak up water quite easily, which can make them slimy and difficult to brown when cooked. Therefore, it is important to clean mushrooms without letting them absorb too much water.

The best method for cleaning mushrooms depends on how dirty they are. If they are only slightly dirty, it is sufficient to brush off the dirt or wipe each mushroom with a damp paper towel or a soft mushroom brush. This is the preferred method for cleaning mushrooms with minimal visible debris.

If the mushrooms are dirtier, they can be rinsed under cool running water. Place them in a colander or salad spinner and give them a quick rinse. Make sure to dry the mushrooms immediately afterward by placing them on dry paper towels or a clean kitchen towel and patting them down. You can also use a salad spinner to help remove excess moisture. If you are using the mushrooms for a recipe that requires them to be crispy, such as sautéing, make sure to dry the mushrooms very well.

For mushrooms with lots of nooks and crannies, such as morels, it is recommended to first give them a good shake in a paper bag to loosen any dirt or debris. Then, swish them around in a bowl of cold water, preferably with a couple of tablespoons of salt dissolved in the water, to dislodge any remaining dirt. Immediately arrange them on paper towels and thoroughly pat dry.

It is important to clean mushrooms right before cooking, as they will absorb moisture and become soft and slimy if cleaned too far in advance.

Frequently asked questions