Mushrooms

Such a versatile ingredient!

Mushrooms are available in many shapes and sizes and each type has a slightly different flavour too. This unique ingredient can be enjoyed raw and cooked in a huge variety of mouthwatering ways.

Pan-fried, roasted or when grilled over the coals, the nuttiness of a mushroom is accentuated and is probably the best way to prepare them. They are popular to enjoy raw or cooked, on their own or as part of a dish, whether it’s a sauce, stew, soup or pie. A mushroom is such a simple, yet versatile veggie and that’s exactly what you should keep in mind when cooking them – keep it simple!

 

Big, button, brown and more

Mushrooms have very unique textures, often referred to as spongy. This makes them perfect to absorb the yummy flavours from the dish they are part of.

White button and brown mushrooms are the most well-known mushrooms with a neutral taste when raw, with a more prominent flavour when cooked.

Portabellini mushrooms have a nuttier flavour and are ideal for roasting or pan-frying or as a hero ingredient in an omelette, soup, sauce, pilaff or risotto.

The more unusual types of mushrooms such as oyster and shiitake mushrooms are known as exotic mushrooms and are often used in oriental dishes. They have a delicate flavour that is even more pronounced when roasted.

 

Combine mushrooms with just about any herb, like rosemary, dill, parsley, sage or Italian parsley. Mushrooms and fresh thyme are a winning combo. Other ingredients that are perfect flavour partners include lemon, garlic, chilli and ginger. Or have you tried spices like curry, cumin or paprika? Mushrooms go well with almost any other veggies and are often combined with proteins like bacon, steak, egg, ham and chicken. A huge variety of cheeses and dairy are also great with mushrooms, just think of mushrooms and blue cheese … mmm.

Season pan-fried or roasted mushrooms with a dash of balsamic vinegar, sesame oil or soya sauce for a special flavour.

Have you ever prepared large brown mushrooms over the coals? Just brush with a mixture of olive oil and balsamic vinegar and braai – delicious!

 

Top tips with mushrooms:

Tip 1: look for mushrooms that are as fresh and firm as possible, without any bruises or dark spots. Mushrooms should definitely not look wet or slimy in the packaging.

Tip 2: store in a brown paper bag or pack on paper towel in an airtight veggie container in the fridge. This allows them to ‘breathe’, rather than causing them to ‘sweat’ in plastic packaging. The moment they start to sweat, they will spoil quite quickly.

Tip 3: you don’t have to wash mushrooms. Their spongy texture will quickly soak up the water, only to release that again, once you start to fry them. This could result in them cooking in the liquid, rather than sautéing or frying. Mushrooms are grown in sterile soil, so you only need to wipe them with paper towel if they appear ‘dirty’.

Tip 4: there is no need to peel a mushroom either. Just lightly wipe them.

Tip 5: don’t crowd the pan when frying mushrooms – they will cook faster and continue to fry. So, frying them in smaller batches works really well.

Tip 6: don’t overcook mushrooms, then they become very rubbery and will lose a lot of their moisture and flavour.

 

Fun fact: mushrooms don’t really need oil when you pan-fry them at the right temperature. When you pan-fry mushrooms in a preheated pan, over a medium heat, without any oil, you should hear them ‘squeak’. This is the perfect heat for them to fry, without burning. Fry until golden brown for that delicious nutty aroma and drizzle with balsamic or lemon juice for a delicious flavour.

 

Visit Heleen’s website (www.heleenmeyer.co.za) for lots of recipes using mushrooms.

Image Adele Ferreira