Mushrooms

[John81]

Does anyone know anything about cooking and using different types of mushrooms?

I'm only familiar with the morel mushrooms I pick in spring.

What about Portobello, button and other mushrooms? I see the Portobello and button mushrooms packaged in the fresh vegetable section but have no idea of how to prepare them, how they taste, what they go with or anything else.

I also see different types of mushrooms in cans and have had some of one of those mixed in an omelet last year but don't even remember what it was like.

Any help would be appreciated. Thank you!

[OLD fashioned preacher]

My wife uses button mushrooms in mushroom gravy or grilled with onions and bell pepper strips for steak,

Baby Portobellos can be used for stuffed mushrooms.

Shiitakes can be used in stir fry or hot and sour soup.

Most mushrooms can be sliced and used in vegetable soup, salad or homemade pizza.

 

I don't cook, I just know they're good eaten in those ways.

[Covenanter]

My father was an expert on all things horticultural & wild.

His advice regarding was mushrooms was: "If you aren't 100% sure, don't eat it - assume it's poisonous."

 

[John81]

My father was an expert on all things horticultural & wild.

His advice regarding was mushrooms was: "If you aren't 100% sure, don't eat it - assume it's poisonous."

 

​That's good advice! I wouldn't eat any wild mushroom, other than the morel mushrooms I've familiar with, since I can't tell one from another.

Hopefully, the mushrooms in the grocery store are all of the safe variety!

[Invicta]

My father was an expert on all things horticultural & wild.

His advice regarding was mushrooms was: "If you aren't 100% sure, don't eat it - assume it's poisonous."

 

​In France you can take it to the pharmacist and they will tell you if it is safe.  They will often have a chart showing various types.  

Personally I am not a fan of mushrooms but I can eat then  My wife likes then and has them almost every day.  I do like the small mushrooms in a onion and tomato sauce. (Greek style mushrooms)  The ones that always intrigue me are the ones the French call Trompette de la mort. (Trumpet of the dead) They are thin black things, can be had dried, but they are quite expensive.

 

[Invicta]

Back to your original question. 

My wife prepares her mushrooms and placed the in a small baking tray, puts a small amount of butter on each with S&P and some dried garlic and parsley, then bakes them in a medium oven (200 C)  IF I do them for her I sometimes fry them in butter with chopped onion, tomato and red pepper, with a bit of garlic. Stir in cream or sour cream before serving.  

[MountainChristian]

Invicta, was you ever a chef? 

[1Timothy115]

 

I'm only familiar with the morel mushrooms I pick in spring.

 

​It's almost time!!! Wahoo!!!

[1Timothy115]

As much as I 'cough...sputter...cough' dislike to admit it, _ichigan has been the best place to hunt Morels.

[John81]

As much as I 'cough...sputter...cough' dislike to admit it, _ichigan has been the best place to hunt Morels.

​I've never been that far north. I didn't even know for sure if they had them up there.

We've had to find new places to hunt for them since most of the places I went with my Dad in my childhood have been bulldozed or otherwise ruined for hunting mushrooms.

My Dad makes the best mushrooms I've ever had. He crushes crackers, coats the cut up mushrooms in egg, then coats them with the crushed crackers and fries them. Yum!

My brother-in-law prefers to use a deep fryer. They are okay, but not near as good as Dads.

The first time I brought home mushrooms my wife didn't know what to do with them. I just figured she had probably cooked some before or at least seen them cooked but she hadn't. After giving her instructions on how to cook them I went to do something else. Shortly afterward she called out and said they were ready. Hmmm, that was fast! How could they be ready this soon? The poor things hadn't even begun to cook but for some reason she thought they were done. At least she's cute

So, I finished cooking them and she watched. Then we ate them That's how she found out she likes morel mushrooms.

I helped her learn she likes deer meat too by cooking chili with deer burger without telling her until after she ate two bowls and told me how much she loved it. 

[1Timothy115]

Wives...not so much. Now Grandmothers, they are (in my case was) the expert/s in Mushroom frying in my family. We use a mix of flour/cornmeal and pepper. I put them in the mix, then the egg, then the mix again. Seems to make them really 'plump up' and the flavor is still morel. I think an iron frying pan is best for them but, I can go with any frying pan.

You know you could eat them raw if not for the 'bugs' I soak them overnight in light salt water and see what floats to the top the next morning. They say bugs are protein but I think they would spoil the morel taste (that's my story and I'm sticking to it).

Anyways, 2 and 1/2 weeks and I should start finding them...yummmmmm. Just in time for a Friday/Saturday hunt!

[John81]

Yep, we always soak ours in overnight in salt water too. I also agree with the cast iron pans and the cooking skills of previous generations of women. My Mom and Grandma could both cook 'em good and they both used cast iron skillets. Neither my wife nor my sister has ever go the hang of it. That's why I do most or all the cooking of them here and my brother-in-law cooks them at their place. What's even better is if I get to eat ones my Dad has cooked. I don't know how or why but his always taste perfect even tho we seem to cook them the same.

Now my mouth is watering for some fried mushrooms!

[Invicta]

Invicta, was you ever a chef? 

​

[Invicta]

No I wasn't

 

[Invicta]

i

Is this what you me\n by morels?