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The tough thing about produce shopping is that it can be hard to know how to select a good vegetable. Take mushrooms. How do you pick out the best ones? Is it the size, the color, the texture or something completely different?
The people at the United States Mushroom Council offer a few tips:
Look for mushrooms with a fresh, smooth appearance, free from major blemishes, with a dry (not dried) surface. A closed veil (the thin membrane under the cap) indicates a delicate flavor; an open veil means a richer flavor. Size is no indication of maturity in mushrooms. Perfectly ripe ones vary from small buttons to large caps.
They also suggest keeping mushrooms refrigerated. They're best when used within several days after purchase. To prolong shelf life, remove plastic wrapping from packaged mushrooms store them in a porous paper bag. Avoid air tight containers—they cause moisture condensation which speeds spoilage.
To clean mushrooms, gently wipe with a damp cloth or soft brush to remove peat moss particles or rinse quickly with cold water and pat dry with paper towels. There is no need to peel mushrooms. The only trimming they may need is the stem end. Mushroom stems may be prepared along with the caps. Mushrooms can be sliced thick or thin, cut in quarters, coarsely or finely chopped using a sharp knife. For slicing or chopping large quantities, use a food processor with the slicing or wing blade attachment. If a recipe calls for just caps, twist stems loose or separate them from the caps with the tip of a knife.
Sautéing is the most popular way to cook mushrooms. For each eight ounces of mushrooms, heat one tablespoon olive oil in a large skillet. Add mushrooms. Cook and stir until golden and the released juices have evaporated, about five minutes. Don't overcrowd the skillet or the mushrooms will steam rather than brown.
To make an easy mushroom pan sauce to accompany sautéed meat, try this: cook meat according to recipe directions and remove to a platter. Cover loosely with foil to keep warm. In the same skillet as the meat was cooked, add 1 tablespoon olive oil and 8 ounces of sliced or chopped mushrooms. Stir and cook until mushrooms have browned. Stir in ½ cup liquid (water, broth or wine), stir a few minutes more to evaporate some of the liquid, and pour this sauce over the meat. It doesn't get much better than that!
And here's an appetizer recipe that uses mushrooms:
Mushrooms in Puff Pastry A Brookshire's Best Recipe
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups sliced mushrooms 1 Tbs olive oil 2 cups chopped broccoli 1/3 cup water 1 (14 oz) pkg frozen puff pastry, thawed 1 cup grated Swiss cheese Nonstick baking spray
Directions: Preheat oven to 425° F. Spray baking sheet with nonstick spray.
Heat a heavy skillet and add olive oil and mushrooms. Sauté until 3 or 4 minutes. Add the broccoli and water and simmer until broccoli is tender, about 4 minutes. Remove from heat and allow to cool slightly.
Roll out one sheet of puff pastry and cut into 4-inch squares. Evenly distribute the sautéed vegetables in the center of each puff pastry square. Fold the pastry diagonally over the filling to form a triangle. Press the edges with a fork to seal.
Place the pastry triangles on the baking sheet. Spray each with vegetable spray. Bake 12 to 15 minutes or until golden brown.
Serves 8
Nutritional Information: Calories Per Serving: 120, Fat: 7 g (2 g Saturated Fat), Cholesterol: 5 mg, Sodium: 251 mg, Carbohydrates: 8 g, Fiber: 1 g
© 2007, Brookshire Grocery Co. Nutrient counts are rounded to the nearest whole number. All dietary and lifestyle changes should be supervised by a physician.
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