There are many varieties of mushrooms, however only less than 10% of them are actually edible. Before cooking your mushrooms for a meal, make sure they are truly edible. If they are from the grocery store, they will be fine. Since there are so many types of mushrooms available, each one has a different flavor, texture and method of preparation. Each one should also be cooked a different way in order to get the best flavor possible from the mushroom. Frying is a popular way to prepare mushrooms for a way, which is an easy, tasty way to give your meal a great taste.
The most versatile ways to cook your mushrooms is to sauté them, which means frying them in a pan with a little hot oil. Crimini is a good variety of mushroom to sauté. These can be used in a stir-fry, omelet or a variety of hot meals fried in a pan. Before frying, be sure to dust off any dirt from the mushroom using a brush. Do not rinse or wash the mushrooms as you can actually cause the exterior to harden and lose its tenderness. Remove any stems and cut into 1/8 inch slices. Heat up the oil in the pan before tossing the mushrooms in. You want the mushrooms to jump when it hits the hot oil. Stir until they turn a medium to dark brown color and the juices evaporate from the mushroom. This will take about five minutes to do.
Make sure that the mushrooms are evenly exposed to the pan so they can all brown evenly. Cooking time should take about five minutes. Remove from the pan and season immediately if you choose to use spices. You can season them with any spices desired, but salt and pepper will do the trick. The result should be a tasty, tender mushroom that doesn’t overpower the taste in any meal but actually helps enhance it with flavor and texture. You can then top your meal with the cooked mushrooms or you can add them to additional ingredients to create a recipe.
Another popular mushroom to fry is the portabella mushroom. It can be sautéed, but a more popular version is cooking it outside on the grill, which is a healthier version of frying. The way you will want to prepare a portabella is to begin by rinsing off the mushroom and cleaning any loose debris. Remove the stem by snapping it off. Some people prefer to remove the gills, while others prefer to leave them on for texture and additional flavor. If you do choose to remove the gills, scoop them out using a spoon. Both the gills and stems can be chopped up and used in an additional recipe if desired. You will then brush extra virgin olive oil on all exposed parts of the portabella. Since it will soak in fairly quickly, be sure to give it an extra coat. Season it with herbs and spices of your liking, but salt and pepper will taste great.
Preheat your grill then place the portabellas on top, cooking each side for several minutes each. They should turn a darker brown in color and shrink in size. These are often served at barbecues in replace of hamburgers and placed on a hamburger bun. Although it is a favorite among vegetarians, meat lovers will enjoy the meaty texture and delicious flavor as well. If the gills have been scooped out, you can fill in the hole with ingredients for a stuffed mushroom dish. Suggested ingredients include shredded mozzarella, Roma tomatoes and basil leaves. Keep it on the grill for an additional 3-5 minutes to melt the cheese.
