How to Cook Our Mushrooms

Most all wild forest fungi are wonderful sautéed in butter or olive oil and garlic (we use Garlic Lovers Garlic also available at our events). Add a little fresh ground pepper and, voila! Instant gourmet cuisine! Wild mushrooms go very well with eggs, pasta, rice, potatoes, seafood (especially shellfish, crab, and salmon) or meats (pork roasts or tenderloin, steak, filet mignon), wine or light cream sauces. "Simple" dishes are usually the best complement to wild mushrooms.

For wonderful Wild Mushroom Pasta dishes please visit What's Cooking America; site of cookbook author Linda Stradley.

Wild Mushroom Lasagna

Fresh Wild Mushrooms & Cream On Linguine

Wild Mushroom Restaurant - The Joel Palmer House

Our family enjoys this Candy Cap Coffee Cake (pictured below) and our favorite Stuffed Morels!

Cooking Tips

While most edible mushrooms can be eaten raw, they are most often sautéed or otherwise cooked.

Be sure to read our package inserts for recommendations regarding fungi that should always be cooked before eating.

We have found that a dry sauté works great; it seals in and intensifies the flavor. Put a small amount of salt in your pan, turn on high heat, add mushrooms to hot pan and cook until all moisture has evaporated, about 5-10 minutes and then continue with your recipe.

Mushroom Butter
saute until golden brown, 1/2 cup sliced mushrooms (can be reconstituted or fresh mushrooms) in 1/4 cup butter
Put the mushrooms and butter into a blender and add:
1/2 c. soft butter
1/4 tsp. black pepper
1/4 tsp. salt
3 tbl. dry sherry or brandy
Blend until smooth.
Chill until firm.
Morels and King Boletes have a stronger flavor and would be excellent in this recipe.

Mushroom Quiche
Preheat oven 375
Prepare a 9 inch pie shell and prick it well with a fork.
1/4 lb of bacon/sausage (optional)
Cook meat until done. Set aside
Scald to quicken cooking time
2 cups milk or cream
Cool slightly then beat together with:
3 eggs
1/4 tsp. salt
1/8 tsp. pepper
a pinch of freshly grated nutmeg
1 tsp chopped chives
1/2 oz of dried mushrooms (reconstituted)
Heat slowly until mixture starts to get clumpy.
Constantly stirring to prevent burning
Sprinkle meat (if used) into pie shell
Add 1/2 cup of grated swiss cheese/mozzarella or cheddar.
Pour egg mixture on top.
Bake 35 - 40 minutes or until golden brown.

Gourmet French Bread
Bake and wrap in foil (or use garlic roaster) 2 whole garlic bulbs in oven at 375 for 1 hour or until bulbs are tender.
Squeeze out garlic paste and add to 1 cube butter. Mix together. Spread on 1 loaf french bread/baguette cut lengthwise.
Reconstitute 1 oz. of dried mushrooms (Morels are wonderful) or 2 cups sliced fresh mushrooms, (Cat's Paws are also great if you have them).
Sautee mushrooms until done.
Sprinkle mushrooms on bread.
Add enough grated mozzarella cheese to cover bread and bake at 350 until cheese is melted then broil until cheese starts to turn golden brown.

Carmel Candy Caps Custard
Serves 6 as a dessert
Powdered candy caps add a unique flavor to this
smooth dessert.
1/4 cup dried candy cap mushrooms
7 eggs, separated
1/2 cup honey
4 dashes cayenne
1-1/2 cups milk
1/4 cup sugar

Break the mushrooms into small pieces and grind to a fine powder in a blender or food processor.In alarge bowl, beat the egg yolks for 1 minute. Add 1/4 cup of the honey, cayenne, powdered mushrooms,and milk. Beat again for 1 minute.In a cast-iron skillet, caramelize the remaining 1/4 cup honey with the sugar until it tests hard in cold water. Quickly pour it into the bottom of a 6-cup ring mold.In a large bowl beat the egg whites until stiff, then blend in the yolk mixture and pour into the mold.Bake in a preheated 300º oven for 30 minutes. Cool on a wire rack and refrigerate for at least 5 hours before unmolding. To unmold the custard, loosen the edges of the custard with a knife. Place in hot water up to the rim of the mold for a few seconds, and quickly turn upside down on a serving plate. Slice and serve.

Just about any mushroom is excellent added to a stir fri (we prefer to use Matsutake, Chanterelle or Lobster mushrooms). And there is nothing better than just sauteed mushrooms with butter and garlic. Try adding a few Matsutake's to a Kabob.