When was the last time you had a really great mushroom dish? Odds are, the cook knew how to clean them correctly. That means not washing them, if you can help it. And we’ve got the tools to help.
Sure, you can throw them in a colander or a bucket of cold water and gently scrub the dirt off of them, but you’re removing a bit of flavor as you do that. Adding moisture means a longer cooking time, a potentially soggier texture, and a less-concentrated flavor. Here’s everything you need to know as you mushroom your way through the mushy months.
How to Store
Toss the plastic-topped carton when you get home. Same goes for plastic bags from the farmers’ market. Mushrooms live most happily loose and unwashed in a brown paper bag. That blocks light and allows air to circulate, helping their skins stay unwrinkled. They should keep in the refrigerator for up to a week.
How to Clean
It’s better to brush mushrooms clean, as with our sweet ShroomBroom. (See it cleaning away on TikTok!) In a pinch, you can use a dry kitchen cloth or paper towel to rub off any exterior dirt. We love how tiny the ShroomBroom is, though, and love that it won’t take up much room in your kitchen gadget drawer. And if you’re paranoid about the stuff that mushrooms grow in, know that especially for commercially bought shrooms, there’s less to worry about than you might think.
Prep Shortcut
If you’re eating mushroom lasagna on the regular (and jeez, why aren’t you?!) consider a mini investment in the full kit and caboodle of the ShroomBroom and the Handheld Slicer. (We can’t be the only ones who get tired after slicing a bevy of mushrooms tumbling everywhere!) It’s such a cute, sweet duo, and attractive enough that you won’t mind having it kicking around. (Are you following us on TikTok? Here it is, adorably at work!)
The Recipes
Folks, we have hundreds of mushroom recipes, many of them five-star-beloved by readers. Mushrooms are precisely what we’re craving when the weather turns chilly. Think: mushroom lasagna laced with a Gruyère bechamel. Consider: this phyllo-topped chicken pot pie, brimming with tarragon, thyme, and fat, satisfying potatoes.
But don’t relegate them to wintertime, because we’ve got so many more. Consider how good a grilled mushroom and steak salad would be come summertime. Or a goat cheese, leek and mushroom tart, set out on a sideboard in spring.
Or quick garlicky roasted mushrooms for an easy side dish! To sum up: Mushrooms rule. Now get out there and snag the tools we have to make eating more of them easier!
1 comment
Thank you for sharing the mushroom recipe. I tried to cook and eat the different types of mushrooms. I loved this