The Five and Five of Mushrooms
Five facts you might not know about mushrooms, and five delicious ways to cook with them.
Autumn in Tasmania brings wetter and cooler days, while the earth is still warm from summer, creating the perfect environment for mushrooms to grow. You might have seen them popping up at the roadside or in the mulch in your garden over the last few weeks.
Unless you’re an expert at identifying mushroom varieties, don’t be tempted to eat them, as many varieties can be toxic. Play it safe and buy them from us – we have a veritable rainbow of mushrooms in our stores from our new supplier, Mr Brown and Towns.
Here are a few facts about mushrooms you might not know:
1. Mushrooms are not vegetables, but the fruiting bodies of several fungi species.
2. Only 200 of the 12,000 species of fungi are edible. Many species are lethal to humans and animals. Roman emperors had food tasters to make sure a mushroom was safe to eat.
3. Mushrooms don’t need light to grow, and some species can double in size within 24 hours.
4. Mushrooms are very nutritious – they’re high in fibre, low in calories and contain essential vitamins and minerals such as vitamin D, potassium, and selenium, as well as antioxidants which help combat free radicals in the body. Varieties such as Lion’s Mane have positive effects on brain health too.
5. Your everyday White Button mushroom is the most widely available mushroom worldwide, with Oyster mushrooms the second most popular. Truffles, also a type of mushroom, are one of the most expensive delicacies in the world. Find out more about mushroom types here.
Mushrooms are very nutritious – they’re high in fibre, low in calories and contain essential vitamins and minerals
And here are five ways to use mushrooms in your cooking:
1. Stuffed
Use a larger mushroom such as a Swiss Brown to make these Roasted Stuffed Mushrooms, Whole Stuffed Mushrooms and these Cheesy Garlic Stuffed Mushrooms.
2. In Japanese dishes
Japanese cuisine features all sorts of mushrooms. Try these Enoki Beef Rolls as a delicious small course, or this warming Japanese Ramen Noodle Soup on a cold night (substitute chicken if you don’t have turkey for this recipe). Nameko mushrooms from Mr Brown and Towns, available in 200g punnets, would be a perfect choice in this recipe as they thicken the soup.
3. As a sauce
Due to their affinity with butter and cream, mushrooms make a great sauce to accompany a meat dish like a steak, a Beef Schnitzel with Mushroom Sauce, or as the star in this recipe for Sauteed Mushrooms on Creamy Polenta. Or try some thickly-sliced Lion’s Mane, also from Mr Brown and Towns, pan-fried in butter and garlic, for a delicious side dish for any grilled meat. They’re “meaty” enough to be a meat-replacement in a burger too.
4. Slow cooked
These all-time classic slow-cooked stews all feature mushrooms. Next rainy Sunday, put these on low and enjoy leftovers at work the next day: Beef Stroganoff, Classic Beef Stew, Coq Au Vin Blanc, and Slow Cooker Creamy Pork Chops.
5. In a risotto
Butter, garlic and mushrooms marry perfectly in this creamy Mushroom Risotto. You could also substitute Oyster Mushrooms for Swiss Browns in this recipe.