Versatile, mushroom gains space in various types of dishes

September is National Mushroom Month. But because of this food’s fertile growing capabilities and versatility in many dishes, any month is a great time to celebrate fungus.

“Mushrooms are recyclers,” said Olga Katic, owner of Mushroom Mountain, a mushroom farm and educational center in South Carolina, USA.

They can grow on natural by-products such as corn husks, wood chips, sawdust, seed husks – and, yes, manure – that would otherwise be discarded.

Mushrooms are also a sustainable crop because they don’t need a lot of resources to flourish: “they don’t really require a lot of water and they don’t require a lot of space either,” Katic said.

It takes only 2 gallons of water to produce a pound of mushrooms, versus approximately 1,800 gallons of water to produce a pound of beef.

As mushrooms can be grown indoors, no agricultural land is needed for production. An acre of space can produce a million mushrooms a year, according to the American Mushroom Institute.

In addition, mushrooms emit very little carbon dioxide during growth. In addition to their benefits for the environment, mushrooms are also great for our bodies.

They are a healthy source of fiber, protein, vitamins and minerals while being low in fat, cholesterol and calories. Mushrooms can be a potent source of vitamin D that can be “energized” by sunlight, according to studies.

“If you take some mushrooms from the store and expose their gills — the feathered ribs on the underside of the mushroom cap — to sunlight, their vitamin D content skyrockets,” Katic said.

“There are so many interesting compounds in them,” Katic added, including selenium, potassium and beta glucan, a type of soluble fiber that can help fight heart disease and lower cholesterol.

The earthy, flavorful flavor of mushrooms makes them a versatile and delicious ingredient in many dishes. It’s a common misconception that you can’t use water to clean mushrooms. Although they have a high water content on their own, food scientists have shown that mushrooms don’t absorb much water when rinsed or even soaked.

Save time in the kitchen and stop cleaning individual mushrooms. Instead, wash the mushrooms in a colander or colander, then gently transfer to a cotton (non-fluffy) kitchen towel. Gently roll up the towel to dry the mushrooms, then cut or prepare as needed for the recipe you are making.

Immerse yourself in the vast world of fungi

Button mushrooms and crimini mushrooms are the most common varieties. Both are round and the size of a ping pong ball with a mild flavor. They’re easy to slice and sauté, taking on flavors that complement many recipes.

Button mushrooms are the baby mushroom species Agaricus bisporus – the most common mushroom, known as Champignon de Paris – and are the first to be harvested.

Crimini mushrooms grow a little longer. They are brown in color and have a little more flavor. If you don’t know what variety of mushrooms to buy and use for your meals, start with these as they go well with anything.

Make simple sautéed mushrooms that can be added to pasta, served over polenta or risotto, or used as a topping for bruschetta. These varieties are also suitable for classic dishes such as mushroom bourguignon or beef stew.

Portobello or portabella mushrooms are the mature, adult version of the crimini mushroom and have a more earthy flavor. They are sliced ​​and take up a lot of cooking space, so they are ideal candidates for a baking sheet where they can caramelize and char around the edges.

Try them in mushroom tortillas or as the main ingredient in teriyaki mushroom rice bowls. Whole portobello lids can be grilled like steaks or stuffed with almost any combination of ingredients you like, be it spinach and cheese, vegetables and quinoa, or pizza toppings.

Maitake mushrooms, also called forest chicken, look like feathery petals growing from a thick, trunk-shaped stem. Remove the beige, petal-like caps from the stem for cooking and save the stem for homemade mushroom broth.

Because of their shape, maitake caps can be fleshy at the thickest stem end and delicately silky at the ruffled edges. Use this to your advantage and bake the maitakes in the oven or air-fry them to crisp the edges, using the same method as the cauliflower florets.

For the best crispy mushroom appetizer, make breaded and deep-fried maitakes in the air fryer, deep fryer or oven.

Oyster mushrooms come in two different sizes: there are smaller oyster mushrooms, which grow in clusters similar to maitake, and the larger king oyster, a thick-stemmed mushroom, also known as a king trumpet. Use the small oyster mushrooms, which have a soft texture and mild flavor, as you would maitakes. They are also great for soaking up sauces in stir-fries.

Oyster mushrooms are incredibly firm, which makes them a vegetarian’s best friend for creating many meat and seafood substitutes. Cut them horizontally into coins and make vegan scallops or mushroom squid.

You can also cut them lengthwise on boards and make BBQ mushroom bacon. Or, grate the mushroom stalks – unlike most of the other varieties mentioned here, you’ll want to eat the oyster mushroom stalks – and make vegetarian “pulled pork”.

Enoki mushrooms are thin and thin, with a soft texture similar to al dente noodles. Like oyster mushrooms, their long stems are the main event.