Oakland Museum Mushroom FestivalCooking Wild Mushrooms*
Preparation begins in the field with clean collecting habits. Brush off any dirt or debris and avoid wetting or mixing collections. Remember that water can spoil some mushroom after harvesting, so wash only when trulynecessary Because mushrooms deteriorate rapidly, they should be cleaned and par-boiled, or dry sauteed, as soonas possible after collection.For best natural flavor and texture, never overcook or over-spice mushrooms. Indeed, the raw mushroom retainsa delicate flavor and aroma that often change or dissipate in cooking.An excellent use of raw sliced mushrooms is in a savory wild-salad bowl. A natural next step is to marinate thefresh mushrooms.
If they are left covered and at room temperature,
the deterioration of the mushrooms by bacteria may quickly lead to food poisoning.
Note of caution:
certain mushrooms, like the
Coprinus
and the
Armillarias
spp., can cause nausea and sicknesswhen mixed with alcohol. Enjoying a dish of finely prepared mushrooms with a glass of wine or beer may produce disagreeable aftermaths for some people.
Preserving Wild Mushrooms
Although many mushroomers follow the “black bear” approach of eating mushrooms in abundance, wildmushrooms may be kept by freezing, canning, and drying. The latter is the simplest method and is especiallygood for those species put to use in soups, gravies, casseroles,and sauces.
Do not wash mushrooms that will be dried.
Brush off the dirt and trim; large ones should be cut in half and sliced½-inch segments, or you may chop them. Spread the pieces to dry away from the sunlight in any clean,ventilated setting. Or, you can spread them on a sheet for the dehydrator and follow the recommendedtemperature and drying time.
Dry Saute'
You can also perform something called a "dry saute". This is the process of sauteing the ingredients without anyoil. Simply add your mushrooms to the heated skillet and cook until brown. Why would you want to dry saute?Some people prefer a more "roasted" flavor without any oil. Some prefer a meal with a lower fat content. Othersfeel that a sauteed mushroom recipe with oil is still too wet (mushrooms give off a lot of liquid while cooking to begin with).This is a
great way to store wild mushrooms as well
. After dry sauteing, and letting them cool, put them in thefreezer where they'll keep for a while. Now that you know how to saute mushrooms, are you feeling brave enough to try the "jump"? Just remember, if you're going to start flipping your food while cooking, make sure you know who's watching and how clean your floor is!
Maize Mushroom
Perhaps, the most unique mushroom in the Americas was and is the corn smut fungus or maize mushroom,(Ustilago maydis), which appears as a wind-blown parasite, on ripening kernels of corn. When immature and pearly gray-white, this is a delicious much sought-after food, especially in the southwest and Mexico. This is thesacred
Huitlacoche
of the Maya. As this mushroom darkens and matures,it becomes a powerful medicinalsubstance which was used by Native midwives to speed and ease childbirth labor, treat selective ailments, andfor ceremonial applications.
*Native Harvests, American Indian Wild Foods and Recipes,
E Barrie Kavasch, Dover Publ. 2005
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