Mushrooms

Button mushrooms are mild-flavored cultivated white mushrooms in their smallest form, with their caps still closed. Select firm, plump mushrooms that are not slimy or bruised. Store in the refrigerator, unwashed and lightly wrapped in paper towels or in a paper bag, never in plastic.

To clean fresh button mushrooms:
Remove the grit by wiping the mushrooms with a damp paper towel or mushroom brush. For a more thorough cleaning, swish the mushrooms very briefly in water, then pat dry with paper towels.
Chanterelles are a part of the cantharellus family. They can be found in either sandy soil, humus, or decaying wood, usually fruiting in the late summer and fall. The Chanterelle has a trumpet-shaped cap with a beautiful pastel orange color - often described as either apricot, or the color of orange sherbet. The Chanterelle's mushroom-y flavor is laced with a fruity scent, reminiscent to some of apricots. It is found throughout the forested areas of the United States and Canada (and in temperate forests around the world). In the Pacific Northwest it fruits in the summer underneath conifers. High in vitamins A and D, Chinese folk remedies have for centuries attributed curative powers to the Chanterelle, using them particularly for vision and respiratory problems.

Select firm, plump mushrooms that are not slimy or bruised. Store chanterelles unwashed-lightly wrapped in paper towels or in a paper bag, never in plastic-in the refrigerator for up to 1 week.

To clean fresh chanterelles:
Remove grit by wiping with a damp paper towel or a mushroom brush. For a more thorough cleaning, swish the mushrooms very briefly in water, then pat dry with paper towels.
Chinese black mushrooms are dried mushrooms with brown caps, used in many Chinese dishes. They are sometimes sold under the name shiitake, the Japanese variety of a similarly meaty mushroom. Reconstitute Chinese black mushrooms before using. They can be stored indefinitely.

To reconstitute Chinese black mushrooms:
Soak in warm water until softened, 20-30 minutes.
Chinese dried mushrooms include a wide variety of mushroom and are used extensively in Asian cooking for their flavor and aroma. Fresh mushrooms are seldom used in Chinese cooking. The Chinese prefer the dried ones, which are brownish-black in color and have a much stronger flavor and firmer texture than ordinary mushrooms. Clean them by rinsing in cold water, then soak in warm water for 20-30 minutes before use. The mushroom water itself makes an excellent flavoring agent. Soaked mushrooms may be kept several days if drained, then wrapped in aluminum foil and refrigerated.
Cremini mushrooms, similar in size and shape to common cultivated white mushrooms, have a more pronounced flavor and a rich brown skin concealing creamy tan flesh. Select firm, plump mushrooms that are not slimy or bruised. Store mushrooms unwashed-lightly wrapped in paper towels or in a paper bag, never in plastic-in the refrigerator.

To clean cremini mushrooms:
Remove grit from the mushrooms by wiping with a damp paper towel or mushroom brush. For a more thorough cleaning, swish the mushrooms very briefly in water, then pat dry with paper towels.
Cuitlacoche is a fungus that attacks ears of corn and causes the kernels to swell to 10 times their normal size. Cuitlacoche has a smoky-sweet flavor with hints of corn and mushroom. It is sold canned and frozen in gourmet markets. It's used in a variety of dishes -- typically appropriate for dishes that call for cooked mushrooms.
Cultivated mushrooms are common mushrooms with smooth, white circular caps. They are also called white mushrooms. Select firm, plump mushrooms that are not slimy or bruised. Store mushrooms unwashed-lightly wrapped in paper towels or in a paper bag, never in plastic-in the refrigerator.

To clean cultivated mushrooms:
Remove grit by wiping with a damp paper towel or mushroom brush. For a more thorough cleaning, swish the mushrooms very briefly in water, then pat dry with paper towels.
Dried mushrooms, the dried form of members of the fungus family, must be reconstituted to bring out their meaty textures and rich, earthy flavors. Dried mushrooms can be stored indefinitely.

To reconstitute dried mushrooms:
Soak in warm water until softened, 20-30 minutes.
Enoki mushrooms come in clusters of long, spaghetti like stems topped with tiny white caps. These delicate mushrooms have a crunchy texture and a mild taste. They grow on live or dead tree trunks, as well as on tree roots. They are available year-round in Asian markets and in most supermarkets. They can be purchased canned. They are good raw in salads and as a garnish for soups or other hot dishes.
Fresh mushrooms, members of the fungus family, have meaty textures and rich, earthy flavors. Cultivated white and brown mushrooms are available year-round. Most mushrooms once grown wild, from the small porcini to the large portobello, are now cultivated and sold in well-stocked grocery stores.

To clean fresh mushrooms:
Store mushrooms unwashed. Remove grit by wiping with a damp paper towel or mushroom brush. For a more thorough cleaning, swish very briefly in water, then pat dry with paper towels.
Morel is an edible wild mushroom. It has irregular indentations, which give it a spongy or honeycombed appearance. It has a cone-shape cap, which ranges in size from 2 to 4 inches high and a hollow stem. Its color ranges from a tan to an extremely dark brown. It has a smoky, nutty flavor. Generally, the darker the mushroom, the stronger the flavor. Dried morels and imported canned morels can be found in gourmet markets year-round. Fresh morels can be purchased throughout the year and fresh are available during the spring.
Mushroom soy sauce is a very dark soy sauce with the essence of straw mushroom added to it. The sauce is salty with hints of earthy, fungal flavors.
Mushrooms are available in a huge variety of sizes, shapes, and colors and can range from smooth and silky to pitted and honeycomb-like. Cultivated white mushrooms, the most commonly found type in the produce department, are mild in flavor and go well in dishes from pastas to soups to stir-fries. However, for more exotic and intense flavors, choose from the myriad of wild mushrooms including chanterelle, morel, shiitake, portobello, and oyster. Choose mushrooms that are firm, free of blemishes, and have tightly closed brown "gills" underneath their caps. Clean mushrooms by wiping with a damp cloth. Do not soak in water. Store mushrooms in a single layer, covered with a paper towel or cloth in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.
Oyster mushrooms, a variety of Asian mushroom, are white, gray, or pink in color and have a tender texture and mild flavor faintly reminiscent of oysters. Select firm, plump mushrooms that are not slimy or bruised. Store mushroom unwashed-lightly wrapped in paper towels or in a paper bag, never in plastic-in the refrigerator.

To clean fresh oyster mushrooms:
Remove grit by wiping with a damp paper towel or mushroom brush. For a more thorough cleaning, swish the mushrooms very briefly in water, then pat dry with paper towels.
Porcini mushrooms have a rich, meaty flavor. Also known by the French term "cèpes", they are available fresh or dried. When selecting fresh porcini, look for firm, plump mushrooms that are not slimy or bruised. Store fresh mushrooms unwashed-lightly wrapped in paper towels or in a paper bag, never in plastic-in the refrigerator. Dried mushrooms can be stored indefinitely.

To clean fresh porcini mushrooms:
Remove grit by wiping with a damp paper towel or mushroom brush. For a more thorough cleaning, swish very briefly in water, then pat dry with paper towels. To reconstitute dried porcini mushrooms: Soak in warm water until softened, 20-30 minutes..
Portobello mushrooms are mature cremini mushrooms noted for their rich flavor and meaty texture. The wide, flat, deep brown caps grow as large as 5 inches (13 cm) in diameter. Select firm, plump mushrooms that are not slimy or bruised. Store mushrooms unwashed-lightly wrapped in paper towels or in a paper bag, never in plastic-in the refrigerator.

To clean fresh portobello mushrooms:
Remove grit by wiping with a damp paper towel or mushroom brush. For a more thorough cleaning, swish very briefly in water, then pat dry with paper towels.
Shiitake mushrooms are meaty-flavored Asian mushrooms that have flat, dark brown caps usually 2-3 inches ( 5-7½ cm) in diameter. The tough, thin stems are usually trimmed off and discarded. Shiitakes are available fresh or dried. When selecting fresh shiitakes, look for firm, plump mushrooms that are not slimy or bruised. Store unwashed-lightly wrapped in paper towels or in a paper bag, never in plastic-in the refrigerator. Dried mushrooms can be stored indefinitely.

To clean fresh shiitake mushrooms:
Remove grit by wiping with a damp paper towel or mushroom brush. For a more thorough cleaning, swish the mushrooms very briefly in water, then pat dry with paper towels. To reconstitute dried shiitake mushrooms: Soak in warm water until softened, 20-30 minutes. For other mushroom varieties, see button, chanterelle, Chinese black, cremini, cultivated, oyster, porcini, portobello, straw, and tree ear mushrooms, and truffles.
Straw mushrooms, named for the beds of straw on which they grow in China, are small, plump brown mushrooms that resemble closed umbrellas and have a mild flavor and a tender texture. Also known as umbrella mushrooms, they are most often sold canned and should be rinsed before using.

For other mushroom varieties, see button, chanterelle, Chinese black, cremini, cultivated, oyster, porcini, portobello, shiitake, and tree ear mushrooms, and truffles.
Tree ear mushrooms are dried mushrooms known by several names: cloud ear, wood ear, and black fungus, and by the Chinese wun yee or muer. Those labeled tree ears are crinkled, black, and about ½" (12 mm) in size. Cloud ears tend to be slightly larger and two-toned. These two fungi are not interchangeable in recipes that rely on size or shape. Dried mushrooms can be stored indefinitely.

To reconstitute tree ear mushrooms:
Soak in warm water until softened, 20-30 minutes. For other mushroom varieties, see button, chanterelle, Chinese black, cremini, cultivated, oyster, porcini, portobello, shiitake, and straw mushrooms, and truffles.
Truffles are a highly aromatic, yet subtly flavored variety of wild fungus that adds distinction to a wide range of savory dishes. The Périgord region of France is the source of what are considered the finest black truffles. Fresh truffles are available in late autumn and winter; they are also sold in jars and cans, whole or in pieces. Select firm, plump fresh mushrooms that are not slimy or bruised. Store unwashed and lightly wrapped in paper towels or in a paper bag, never in plastic, in the refrigerator. Peel black truffles before using.

To clean fresh truffles:
Remove the grit by wiping with a damp paper towel or mushroom brush. For a more thorough cleaning, swish the truffles very briefly in water, then pat dry with paper towels. For other mushroom varieties, see button, chanterelle, Chinese black, cremini, cultivated, oyster, porcini, portobello, shiitake, straw, and tree ear mushrooms.
Wild mushrooms refer to the many varieties of fungi that grow wild and are not cultivated. Many varieties are poisonous so it is critical to know which species are edible and which are not. Common wild mushrooms include: morels, shiitake, wood-ear and chanterelles.
Wood ear fungus is a mild-flavored mushroom variety also known as cloud ear or tree ear. When reconstituted they increase 5 to 6 times in size and look like ears. They are sold in Asian markets.
Mushroom recipe index