NPCER: Talk to me about cooking with mushrooms

[orangeblossom]

Growing up, the only exposure I had to the was on my pizza, and I hated them, and picked them off if they made their way to my pizza.

In recent years, I've had them a little bit more, and want to try cooking with them.  I like the taste they impart, like in soups, veggie burgers, etc, but "thought" I didn't like the actual mushroom.  I had mushrooms today on top of my veggie burger, and didn't take them off or even really notice them, so I'm ready to venture out and cook with them.

What do you use mushrooms in?  Are there certain kinds that are  better than others? What's your favorite mushroom recipe sans beef or pork?

TIA.

[orangeblossom]

Sept 17, 2014 16:31:43 GMT -5 @mrswindycity said:

I use them in everything. I LOVE mushrooms. The white/button/"regular" mushrooms are the ones that have a more subtle flavor and then others are a bit more earthy. I usually use cremini when I cook, but like all kinds. Cremini is a good taste/cost balance IMO.

I don't think I could ever pick a favorite mushroom dish, but I think the two I make most frequently are probably chicken marsala or piccata.

If you want to go balls-to-the-wall mushrooms, I LOVE this lasagna. But it does have pancetta in it - ellysaysopa.com/2013/02/21/mushroom-lasagna-with-pancetta-and-sage/

Thanks.  I think I'll try a marsala.  I've had good ones, but always pushed the mushrooms to the side.

[stealthmom]

Stirfry
Stroganoff
Stuffed portobellas
As a side with steak
My absolute fav mushroom is a hamakua ali'i but when I cook I use mostly white button shitake or porcini

[clo]

Ooh! I love a mushroom risotto. Saute those suckers in butter. Yummy!

[ESF]

A lot of pizza chains that use mushrooms on their pizza are using canned or jarred mushrooms. It is no wonder you found mushrooms vile. I cannot physically swallow canned mushrooms - they are that disgusting to me. The only thing more disgusting than canned mushrooms are raw mushrooms. I gag just thinking about them.

Sauteed mushrooms are a different thing all together. They are soft and earthy and delicious.

I make white pizzas - brush pizza crust with olive oil and garlic, cover in fontina cheese, and top with sautéed cremini mushrooms and lots of thyme and black pepper. That's delicious if you are ready to go nuts with the mushrooms.

Otherwise, adding them into stir fries is a good way to start.

[redwino]

I love sautéed mushrooms as a side. I usually add red wine to my butter.

[ChillyMcFreeze]

Mmm Marsala. I also like to saute Portobellos with butter, thyme, shallots and garlic and serve over parmesan polenta.

[lauralala]

I love farro with mushrooms and goat cheese. I sometimes add walnuts, sometimes top with roasted asparagus, sometimes just use as a side and sometimes as an entree. This recipe is pretty close to what I do; although I use goat cheese, feta like they use would be yummy, too.
www.savorysimple.net/farro-with-cremini-mushrooms-walnuts-and-feta/

[Pibs]

In the spring, see if you can track down some fresh morels. They're very seasonal, but soooo delicious. We get them at our Farmer's Market, but you can hunt them yourself, too.  You can also buy dehydrated ones, but they're really pricey and not as good.  I always have to have a few dipped in egg, rolled in crushed Saltines, and then fried in butter with a nice, cold beer.  We love this recipe, especially with some fresh peas because it just tastes like spring:  food52.com/recipes/22795-morels-and-asparagus-in-creamy-tarragon-sauce-to-serve-with-pasta

And both of these risottos:
food52.com/recipes/22343-morel-green-garlic-and-spring-onion-risotto-style-barley
food52.com/recipes/3692-baked-risotto-with-morels-and-asparagus

Just make sure you brush them clean really well, or even soak them.  There are some people who are all super anti-soaking or washing them, but I just can't.  I usually soak them in a bowl of salt water for an hour and then dry them as best I can before using them because there's no telling what hides in the little nooks and crannies.

I'm not much help with other types because other types make me puke my guts up.  America's Test Kitchen has a beef stroganoff recipe that's really good without mushrooms, so I imagine it tastes even better with them.  Alton Brown has a green bean casserole recipe that I make at Thanksgiving that has a homemade cream of crap mushroom soup base, so it's not really cream of crap when you make it with something good, like porcinis, like my friend does.  And if you can find it online, Toro Bravo (a local to me tapas place) has a chanterelles in sherry cream dish that everyone raves about while I look on sadly.  Or I can post the recipe from our cookbook.

[orangeblossom]

Thanks for all of the tips everybody. I'm looking forward to cooking with mushrooms.

[aMrsin09]

Be careful with your seasoning. Mushrooms are little sponges and soak up the flavors you put in the pot and the seasoning intensifies as the water cooks out of the mushrooms.

Sent from my SM-G900I using proboards

[orangeblossom]

Sept 17, 2014 18:40:23 GMT -5 chilerellanos said:

Sept 17, 2014 18:39:44 GMT -5 orangeblossom said:

Thanks for all of the tips everybody. I'm looking forward to cooking with mushrooms.

Did you ever think you'd write such an exciting sentence?

Ha! Nope.

[sushi]

I started with stuffed portobellos. Then i moved to Japan and feel in love with their varieties.

Tips: never buy canned or jarred. Cremini and baby bellas are the same thing. So are ali'I and king oyster.

If you have an Asian store go there. I can get maitake (which are my favorite) for a few dollars instead of the obscene $20/oz that whole foods charges. There are other really good Japanese mushrooms whose names I've forgotten.

[twotrue]

I am not a fan of mushrooms at all. However I will devour them when put in lettuce wraps. Buy a packet of this seasoning.

www.sunbirdseasonings.com/products/lettuce-wraps/

Sometimes when we don't have chicken (2curlydogs this is a great use for rotisserie chicken) the recipe will be vegetarian, where we pack it full of mushrooms and water chestnuts.

[StrawberryBlondie]

Nothing. Mushrooms are nasty.

[wawa]

Sept 18, 2014 6:21:06 GMT -5 @soudesafinado said:

That is the one veggie that is always in my house. I put them in everything.

Ahhh....mushrooms and air. Ok.
meshaliuknits

[wawa]

Also for the op, I put mushrooms in anything saucy with meat, using them to bulk ot up so I can use less meat. Just cut up and brown with protein and carry on with the recipe.

[demandypants]

www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/mushroom-stroganoff-with-goat-cheese-recipe.html
and
www.marthastewart.com/359776/hearty-spinach-and-chickpea-soup

those are my two favorite very mushroomy meals. Shiitake mushrooms are way more earthy than your average button, but are soo good. they are in this recipe too, and we really like it as well:
www.marthastewart.com/851646/vegetable-bibimbap

[FloFTW]

This is the marsala recipe I use. It's in my top 5 favorite recipes EVAR.

www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/emeril-lagasse/chicken-marsala-recipe.html

[meshaliuknits]

Sept 18, 2014 6:57:58 GMT -5 wawa said:

Sept 18, 2014 6:21:06 GMT -5 @soudesafinado said:

That is the one veggie that is always in my house. I put them in everything.

Ahhh....mushrooms and air. Ok.
meshaliuknits

@soudesafinado eats!!!

[meshaliuknits]

Sept 18, 2014 10:18:30 GMT -5 @soudesafinado said:

Sept 18, 2014 10:10:28 GMT -5 meshaliuknits said:

@soudesafinado eats!!!

I keep telling y'all my gut is full all of the time! I just don't like messy sweets.

You keep saying that, but everything is yuck, so.....

mushrooms and air. (heart)

[sushi]

Shimeji was the other mushroom i was thinking about. I once made a pizza with roasted garlic spread, shimeji, and brie. Omg. Divine.