Mushroom

There are thousands of varieties of this fleshy fungus. The cultivated mushroom is commonly available, but other wild varieties include cepe, chanterelle, enokitake, morel, puffball, and shiitake. Many wild mushrooms are poisonous.

A fungus (plural fungi).  Grown around the world, mushrooms are one of mankind’s oldest foods, growing in caves where stone-age man lived. These were the easiest food finds at hand. Today, mushrooms are cultivated in almost every climate and region and remain an important part of almost every national cuisine.  They range from inexpensive (white button) to incredibly expensive (French truffles).

plural: mushrooms

Season: available year-round

How to select: Choose firm, unblemished mushrooms with a tight underside (it is easiest to determine this when selecting mushrooms freely instead of in packaging).

How to store: Keep mushrooms in the refrigerator in either plastic or paper bags. If you prefer to use plastic bags, it might be a good idea to poke a few holes in it to allow some air to circulate.

How to prepare: You can rinse particularly dirty mushrooms, but usually a good wipe with a damp paper towel will do the trick, while rinsing runs the risk of water-logging the mushroom. bake, broil, fry, grill, puree, raw, saute, steam

Matches well with: almonds, anchovies, bacon, basil, bread crumbs, butter, caraway seeds, cayenne, cheese, hervil, chives, coriander, cream, creme fraiche, dill, eggplants, eggs, fish, garlic, grapes, ham, lemon, Madeira, marjoram, Marsala, mint, mustard, nutmeg, nuts olive oil, onions, oranges, oregano, oyster sauce, pancetta, paprika, parsley, pasta, peas, pepper, pineapple, pistachios, potatoes, rosemary, sausaes, shallots, shellfish, sherry, sour cream, spinach, stock, tarragon, thyme, tomatoes, veinegar, walnuts, wine

Substitutions: 1 (8 oz) can sliced mushrooms, drained = 1 lb fresh mushrooms; 3 oz dried mushrooms, rehydrated = 1 lb fresh mushrooms