Cooking With Mushrooms

If you pay attention to your produce section, specifically the specialty mushroom section, you’ll notice it’s been expanding. Grocery stores are offering dozens of varieties of beautiful mushrooms. Each mushroom holds a different flavor and texture and can add a different quality to each dish.

Mushrooms grow throughout the year, but are the best in the Fall! Morels grow only in the Spring. I love morels because they are related to truffles —  I love truffles. Mushrooms can be earthy, mild or even meaty. Each different kind has a natural organic flavor.  Adding mushrooms can also change the consistency to a dish, and you’ll be able to tell. They are great fillers for vegetarians as a meat substitute. My husband hates mushrooms! He will not touch any dish that includes them, and he swears he can taste them a mile away. But most are pretty mild, and he didn’t taste them in the lettuce wraps!

Mushrooms are fungi and even when they’re prepackaged, they need to be cleaned. To clean them, I use a mushroom brush to brush the dirt off, do not throw them in water and soak them! They are very delicate and need tender loving care. If you feel like you need to use water, use a damp paper towel and pat them clean.  You can also remove hard to clean areas with a small paring knife.

My favorite way to cook mushrooms is to simply saute them. Mushrooms are perfect to add a special flair to a steak, hamburger or risotto.