Soft, chewy, tangy – these are the words that come to mind when I think of mushrooms. Rich in umami, mushrooms have the generosity to elevate the ingredients they work with, pairing up to take your pallet on a journey. Even though not all mushrooms are edible, the ones that can be eaten often make up the star of the dish. Here are a few edible mushrooms that often hero my dining table.
1. Edible Mushrooms: Chanterelle Mushroom
Chanterelle mushrooms have a funnel shape; These are meaty and edible mushrooms. They could be orange, yellow, or white. Common in Eurasia, North America, Central America, and Africa, they tend to grow in mossy coniferous forests and mountainous birch forests.
Rich in carbohydrates and vitamins, the earthy flavour they provide can be cooked in different ways to elevate our senses. One can use Chantelle mushrooms to make butter, oil, and cream. The mushrooms also contain water and alcohol-soluble flavours, which lend the mushrooms well to recipes involving cooking alcohol. Chantelle mushrooms are beneficial to make sautés, soufflés, sauces, and soups. Post your amazing Chanterelle Recipes in the comment.
2. Edible Mushrooms: Porcini Mushroom
Prized in Italian and French cuisine, these popular edible mushrooms provide a nutty, earthy, and meaty flavour which truly tingles the umami sense. Porcini mushrooms are mainly present in Europe, North America, and parts of Asia, and grow naturally at the base of trees in pine forests.
The mushrooms have brown caps with thin, white stalks. The caps can range from an inch to a foot – although most specimens are only a few inches.
Porcini mushrooms have a wide use to elevate broths, eggs, pasta, risottos, sauces, and creams.
Read: 7 Best Crops That Can Boost Agriculture of Nagaland
3. Morel Mushrooms Are Highly Expensive Mushrooms
Morel mushrooms are wild edible mushrooms boasting an earthy, nutty flavour. Their shape can range from oblong to bulbous, and their colour from light yellow to grey. Morel mushrooms have a unique honeycomb-like exterior with a hollow, white interior. Morels are usually present in woody areas throughout North America and Europe, under warm and damp conditions. Morel mushrooms are extremely difficult to grow, and thus must be foraged and harvested from where they naturally grow.
Considered to be a delicacy, morel mushrooms can make great sauces, and complement meats.
4. Edible Mushrooms: Portobello Mushroom
Portobello mushroom is another wild species of edible mushrooms, commonly found in grassy areas worldwide. These are pale, grey-brown-coloured mushrooms with broad, flat scales.
Portobello mushrooms hero in burgers and pasta. The mushrooms can even be made alone into a grilled dish. Owing to their meaty texture, Portobello mushrooms also make great vegan alternatives to meat.
5. Oyster Mushrooms are famous in different cuisines
Also known as pearl oyster mushrooms, oyster mushrooms are eaten in a variety of cuisines and are especially popular in Korean, Japanese, and Chinese cooking. These mushrooms have oyster-shaped caps and are white or grey, with gills lining the underside of the caps.
Oyster mushrooms can be dried, eaten raw, or cooked. Cooking the mushroom brings out a complex and delicate flavour, turning their spongey texture into something velvety. When eaten dry or raw, the mushrooms have a slightly metallic flavour.
One can cook these edible mushrooms in a sauté, stir-fried, braised, roasted, fried, or grilled. You can grow oyster mushrooms at home and have a regular supply of this amazing mushroom.
6. Edible Mushrooms: Enoki Mushroom
Also called enokitake, golden needle mushrooms, or lily mushrooms, Enoki mushrooms are thin, long, and white mushrooms with a mild earthy flavor and nutty texture. These mushrooms grow on the stumps of trees from late fall to early spring.
The mushrooms are slightly fruity and slightly chewy along with a crunch and are popular in Korean, Japanese, and Chinese cuisine. The mushrooms are quick and easy to cook and go well in stir-frys, soups, stews, noodles, sushi, and curries. Owing to the crunch and fresh tastes, they make good Enoki Salads with other ingredients.
7. Shiitake Mushroom
Found in moist and warm climates in Southeast Asia, Shiitake mushrooms grow in groups on decaying wood of deciduous trees. Shiitake mushrooms often champion in curries, sautés, dumplings and stir-frys. Shiitake mushrooms elevate the dish a big time.
8. Edible Mushrooms: Button Mushroom
These are small to medium size edible mushrooms with caps averaging 2 to 7 cm in diameter, attached to short stems. Button mushrooms are closely related to cremini mushrooms and Portobello mushrooms – the only predominant difference being age and colour, with button mushrooms being the youngest, followed by cremini mushrooms and then Portobello mushrooms being the most mature.
White button mushrooms can be baked, roasted, sautéed, grilled, and used in stews. Since the mushroom resembles cremini mushrooms, the button mushrooms can be a replacement for recipes that call for cremini mushrooms as well.
9. Cremini Mushroom
Similar to white button mushrooms and Portobello mushrooms, with the only difference being the stage of maturity, cremini mushrooms have a mild earthy flavour and a creamy, meaty texture. These mushrooms pack more flavour than button mushrooms, but in a smaller amount when compared to Portobello mushrooms.
Cremini mushrooms can be used in risottos, sautés, soups, and meat roasts. These mushrooms also make a tasty addition to breakfast.