by K. Russell

Created on: April 23, 2010

Mushrooms are an adaptable and delicious aspect of many recipes. They can be served raw or they can be steamed, sweated, sautéed, baked, braised, roasted or grilled. The real trick about cooking with mushrooms is selecting the freshest fungi possible and then ensuring that they are cleaned properly.

There are many varieties of edible mushroom to choose from in the market today. When selecting mushrooms, it is best to look for unopened mushrooms, those that do not display the "fins" underneath. The surface should be dry. If dirt is seen, simply wipe it off with a damp towel or paper towel. Mushrooms should never be washed.

Salads, Stuffings & More

Once your mushrooms are clean, they can simply be sliced to make decorative and tasty additions to salads and many other dishes. Sliced mushrooms make great additions to omelets, sandwiches, casseroles, stuffings, pilaf, and countless vegetable dishes. The mushrooms will absorb the flavors around them, adding a meaty texture and a unique back taste to your cooking.

Stuffed Mushrooms

Everyone loves stuffed mushrooms, and with good reason. They are easy to prepare and practically limitless in the selection of flavor combinations. To stuff cleaned mushrooms, use your thumb to push over and remove the stem. Then chop the stem with whatever other ingredients you wish to use: crab, sausage, onions, garlic, Parmesan, Spam, olives, and feta are just a few possibilities. Often, an egg is added to the stuffing mixture to help bind it together.

Many cooks coat the unstuffed mushrooms with olive oil by dropping them in a Ziploc bag with a teaspoon of olive oil and tossing them gently. This helps prevent the mushrooms from drying out during the baking process. Next, the stuffing is spooned or piped into the base of each mushroom cap at they are baked at 350-degrees for 15-20 minutes. Guests are sure to devour them as soon as they are served.

Sweating Your 'Shrooms

If you happen to see mushrooms on sale at a price you hate to pass up, there is a preparation method that will keep those mushrooms ready to use in practically any recipe. Sweating mushrooms is also the best way to reaper them for use in soups, to avoid that dreaded "rubbery" texture. To sweat mushrooms, slice them thinly and place them in a large, covered, heavy pot with some olive oil. As the mushrooms heat up, you will see a transformation occur - the mushrooms will begin to sweat out their moisture. 

When this begins, remove the lid and stir frequently, until the mushrooms have released all of their own moisture. You can add extra flavor to these mushrooms by sweating them with crushed garlic or sliced onions and ending the process with a quick addition of some butter, stirring until the mushrooms are coated. Then, after the mushrooms have cooled, simply place them in Ziploc freezer bags and label them with the date and contents. These sweated mushrooms will make a quick and tasty addition to your soups, stuffings, and casseroles.

Healthful, delicious, and adaptable, there are many ways to prepare and cook mushrooms.

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