Cut Oyster mushrooms into slices 1/4 inch thick. Add a small amount of oil or butter to pan over medium-high heat. Add oyster mushrooms. Cook in open pan to allow excess moisture to evaporate, stirring often. Once most of the moisture is reduced, add oil or butter and continue to sauté until mushrooms have reached desired consistency. They are excellent when onions are added at this stage and enjoyed simply over eggs, potatoes, or pasta. Oyster mushrooms substitute nicely into a variety of recipes like risotto, soups, stir fry, cream or marinara sauce, filling for tacos or enchiladas, in quiche or omelets or as a garnish for steak.
Recipes
Soy Saute Mushroom Recipe
1/2 lb. mushrooms (Shiitake or Oyster Mushrooms work well) 2 tbsp. soy sauce 2 tbsp. flour butter salt and pepper Sauté the mushrooms in butter until they just begin to release their moisture. Add salt and pepper to taste, then cover and simmer 4-5 minutes. Uncover and sprinkle flour over mushrooms. Stir well, then add soy sauce and stir again. Cover and simmer for an additional 4-5 minutes. Additional recipe idea: Thin mixture with a bit of red wine and cook a few minutes longer. Pour mixture on top of a raw chicken breast and bake at 350° for approximately 30 minutes.
Basic Lion’s Mane Recipe
Slice the Lion’s Mane mushroom perpendicular to the spines into thin slices or tear into bite sized pieces (tearing keeps the spines intact allowing them to crisp up nicely during cooking). Add a small amount of oil or butter to pan over medium heat; add Lion’s Mane, stir occasionally. Lion’s Mane is best slow cooked, allowing them to soften gently while releasing excess moisture. Cook until the mushrooms have given off most of their liquid. Add butter or oil and turn up heat slightly to sear the mushrooms until the spines are brown and desired crispiness is achieved. Onions or garlic complement Lion’s Mane wonderfully and can be added at this stage. From here the recipe can be taken in many directions, add more veggies to make a tasty stir fry, add to a cream sauce for a tasty topping for pasta, use as a filling for tacos or enchiladas, add to quiche or an omelet, use as a garnish for steak… use your culinary imagination.
Shiitake Butternut Stuffing
In a large deep skillet, saute 1 1/2 pounds quartered shiitake mushrooms in 2 tablespoons butter; remove from the skillet. Season with salt and pepper and add 4 tablespoons butter, 3 chopped celery stalks, 1 tablespoon chopped sage, 8 sliced shallots, 2 minced garlic cloves and 1 diced peeled butternut squash; cook 5 minutes. Pour in 1/2 cup apple cider; cook 3 minutes, then add 3 cups chicken broth. Simmer until step 5. In a large bowl, mix 1/4 cup chopped parsley and the sauteed shiitakes. Add to the bowl 8 cups toasted sourdough bread cubes and the hot broth mixture. Gently toss the stuffing, then spread in a buttered 9-by-13-inch baking dish. Dot the top with butter or turkey pan drippings, cover and bake 30 minutes at 350. Uncover and bake until golden, 20 more minutes.
Shiitake Ginger Glaze
1/4-113 cup oil (olive or sesame) – 1/4-1/3 cup vinegar (rice or apple cider) – 1/4-1/3 cup honey -114-113 cup soy sauce -2-3 inch chunk fresh ginger, diced – 2-3 cloves garlic, crushed -1 tbsp. chili flakes (optional) – pepper to taste – 1/2 pound sliced shiitake mushrooms – 1 red or yellow bell pepper, sliced -1 large onion, diced. Coat large pan with 1 tbsp. oil. Over low to medium heat, sauté mushrooms, peppers and onions, stirring occasionally. While the mushroom mix cooks, mix the liquid ingredients in a small bowl. Start with 1/4 cup measurements and adjust to taste. Add the ginger, chili flakes and pepper. Mix well and set aside. Continue to sauté mushroom mix until onions have begun to caramelize. Add sauce and cook for 10 —15 minutes, until the glaze begins to thicken. This glaze is excellent in many dishes: bake on top of chicken breast; fish or tempeh; serve over rice with steamed veggies; toss with rice noodles…
Mushroom Tempura
Heat 1 12″ -2″ oil in a deep 12″ skillet over medium-high heat until temperature registers 350°. Whisk 1 egg yolk, 1 cup cold water, and 1/4 cup ice cubes in a bowl. Add 1 1/2 cups flour and seasonings of choice, to taste; gently stir until barely combined (batter should be lumpy, not smooth). It is important to keep batter as cold as possible. Working in batches, dredge mushrooms (recipe is for 1 pound total) in additional 1/2 cup flour, and dip into batter. Drop into to oil, and fry, flipping once, until crisp, 2-4 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer to paper towels to drain and season with salt and pepper. Serve with favorite dipping sauce or mix some up, we use: 1/4 cup mirin, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 1/2 cup brown sugar and 1 T fresh minced ginger. Stir over low-medium heat until well mixed.
