Everything here takes one pan and less than fifteen minutes. The mushrooms do the work.
Move them out of plastic as soon as you are home. A paper bag in the fridge, folded shut, is right. Most keep five to seven days; king oyster and shiitake go longer, pearl oyster shorter. If a cluster goes a little dry at the edges, it is still good; if it goes slimy, it is not.
Don’t wash them. Brush or wipe off anything visible. If there is a bit of substrate at the base, cut it off. Water is the enemy of browning, and browning is the whole point.
Leave them whole. Hot pan, butter, don’t touch for eight minutes, then salt. The caps go crisp and the stems stay tender. Keep the cluster intact until the pan is hot, then trim the base so the caps stay together. Spoon the browned butter over them and put the whole cluster on toast, eggs or a bowl of rice.
Pairs with butter, thyme, sherry, eggs, sourdough.
Slice into 2 cm slabs. Dry pan first, pressed with a spatula, to squeeze out water; then butter. Or tear and treat like crab. Give each slab room and press it firmly while the water leaves. When both faces are brown, add garlic, lemon and parsley. Serve the slabs whole, or tear them after cooking for a crab-like filling.
Pairs with garlic, lemon, parsley, brown butter, black pepper.
Tear along the gills. Highest heat you have, a little oil, no crowding, three minutes a side. Salt at the end. Cook in batches if the pan is small. The torn edges should darken before the centres soften. Finish with chilli and spring onion, then fold them into an omelette or set them over a bowl of miso broth.
Pairs with soy, miso, chilli, spring onion, eggs.
Same as pearl, a minute longer. Stands up to a grill. Leave small clusters whole and brush larger ones with oil before they meet the grill. Their colour turns grey with heat, but the thicker texture stays. Finish with lemon and serve beside white beans or roasted vegetables.
Pairs with olive oil, rosemary, white beans, lemon, parmesan.
Slice the stem into coins, score one side, sear in butter until deep brown. The cap is fine too; don’t waste it. Cut coins thick enough to score without cutting through. Put the scored face down first and leave it until deep brown. Turn once, baste with soy and butter, and serve the coins like small scallops with chives.
Pairs with brown butter, soy, sesame, garlic, chives.
Stems off (save for stock). Caps whole or halved, medium-high heat, oil, until the edges curl. The stems are tough in the pan but useful in stock, so pull them off and save them. Let the caps curl and darken at the edges, then glaze with soy, ginger and a small pinch of sugar. Spoon over rice.
Pairs with soy, ginger, sesame, rice, scallions.
Updated Thursday, Sep 17
| Variety | Status | Quantity |
|---|---|---|
| Chestnut | Fruiting now | about 6 lb |
| Lion’s mane | Fruiting now | about 4 lb |
| Pearl oyster | Next week | |
| Blue oyster | Next week | |
| King oyster | Resting | |
| Shiitake | Resting |