Recipe - Information -- Mushrooms

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The selection of mushrooms in produce departments and farmers markets is
becoming more varied. If you're confused by what you're buying and how to
use and store them, here are a few tips:

Look for dry, not slimy, mushrooms. They should be firm and smell clean,
never moldy. At home, keep them in the refrigerator in a brown paper bag.
Never keep them in a plastic bag, because they will turn into a slimy,
smelly mess. Unless they're dried, use them as soon as possible. Don't wash
mushrooms until you're ready to use them.

Some mycological authorities recommend cooking all mushroom varieties,
rather than eating them raw.

Cepes: Usually found dried: they're also called porcini. They are large,
white to reddishbrown with fat, beige stems. The flavor is like that of a
hazelnut. They're great in chicken, fish or pasta dishes. Grill or marinate
them and serve them with red meat. They're good in sauces, too.

Chanterelles: Yellowish and trumpetshaped. The flavor is spicy; some say
they have a slight apricot taste. They're also chewy. They're fabulous
sauteed with a little butter, or try them in vegetable dishes, omelets or
sauces. They'll knock your socks off in stroganoff.

Enoki: The word means snowpuff in Japanese. Cultivated ones are a bright
white, while wild ones are large and darker. They are flowershaped, with a
long stem and tiny cap. Use them raw or toss them into stirfry. They're
the perfect garnish.

Morels: Some people consider these the ultimate mushroom because of their
rich, real mushroom flavor. They are coneshaped and can be yellow or
black. The darker the color, the richer the flavor. These are fantastic
cooked in stuffing, sauces, sautes, meat and poultry dishes.

Oyster: Also known as monkey head; gray to white with a large cap. It has
hardly any stem. Oysters are fragrant and especially good in seafood
dishes. Some people think they have a slight lobsterlike flavor when
sauteed. They are out of this world when stirfried with scallops.

Shiitake: A pretty mushroom with a large, floppy brown cap and a thick,
brown stem. You can grill, saute, stuff or marinate it. Shiitakes will
enhance any stew or meat dish. Try them in a cream sauce.

Recipe by: Oregonian's Food Day

Posted to MCRecipe Digest V1 #824 by LBotsko@aol.com on Oct 4, 1997